Family Education Trust

The new logo of the Family Education Trust which replaced the logo originally developed for Family and Youth Concern (see below) in late 2011 or early 2012.^[1]

Family Education Trust is a conservative moral campaign organisation created in 1971 and at first called the Responsible Society and then Family and Youth Concern.^[2]

The Trust (which from 2000-2011 referred to its former name in brackets as Family Education Trust (Family & Youth Concern)) describes itself as ‘a national educational trust which researches the causes and consequences of family breakdown.’ It claims that it has ‘no political or religious affiliations'. ^[2] However, most commentators disagree. For example, academic researchers describe it variously as one of a number of ‘moralist lobbies’, ^[3] ‘moral crusading organisations’^[4], ‘moral conservative’ or ‘moralist organisations’^[5]^[6]. The Trust can be seen as a strongly conservative organisation, informed by Christian fundamentalist views on the family and sexuality.

Further evidence of the strongly conservative nature of the Trust comes from its pronouncements and from the connections of its staff, trustees and sponsors within the Conservative Party and the Conservative movement more broadly. Connections to the Tory Party include the late Janet Young, the late Diana Elles, Detta O'Cathain and James Graham the 8th Duke of Montrose who sat/sit on the conservative benches in the House of Lords.

Connections to the Conservative movement include:

Dennis O'Keeffe, a longtime 'sponsor' of the Trust, is Professor of Social Science at the private University of Buckingham and also Senior Research Fellow in Education at one of the oldest UK conservative think tanks the Institute of Economic Affairs and was listed as a member of the Academic Advisory council of the Taxpayers Alliance.^[7] He has also been editor of The Salisbury Review^[8] a conservative magazine, which has described itself as 'articulate, discriminating, reactionary, right-wing, judgemental, elitist.'^[9]
Robert Whelan was director of the Family Education Trust for four years (2000-2004) and remains a trustee. He was the Assistant Director of the IEA Health and Welfare Unit, from which the think tank Civitas was created in 2000 - Whelan was its first Deputy director and in 2012 is its editorial director. He is managing director of the New Model School Company, an organisation founded by Civitas in 2003, to encourage private education.^[10]
Brenda Almond was a member of the 'Family Law Review' working group of the Centre for Social Justice^[11] and sits on the Academic Advisory Council of Civitas.^[12]

History

The original logo of the Family Education Trust and of its predecessor Family and Youth Concern. The logo is notable as an idealised representation of the nuclear family a representation which appears ethnically specific

The Trust was founded in 1971 ‘by the late Stanley Ellison, a London GP specialising in preventative medicine.’^[2]

After writing a letter to The Times, Ellison ‘was contacted by people who shared his concern that the breakdown of the traditional family could have long-lasting and serious consequences.’ Thus was the Responsible Society born. It later changed its name to Family and Youth Concern.

Ellison was concerned about the effects of the ‘permissive society’ and in particular what the Trust describes as ‘significant changes in both laws and social attitudes in such areas as divorce, having children outside of marriage, abortion and pornography.’^[2] The Trust claims that it is not ideological but rather ‘research-based’. ‘There is no area in social science in which the evidence stacks up so completely on one side’, it claims: ‘marriage and traditional family life are associated with good outcomes in terms of health, wealth and other indicators of well-being.’^[2]

The approach of the Trust pulls against the economic tenets of neoliberalism which promotes freedom in the market. It argues that ‘unfortunately, the view that people should be free to make their own choices, without having to accept any adverse consequences, dominates the public policy agenda.’ ^[2]

Orientation

It has been noted that F&YT, unlike organisations such as CARE or the Conservative Family Campaign, ‘sought to avoid an overtly religious language’.^[13]

Activities

The Trust produces ‘publications, newsletters, videos, submissions to public enquiries’ and acts as ‘a point of contact for the media’ as well as producing ‘material for use in schools, much of which can be downloaded free from our website ^[2]’ and acts ‘in defense of the traditional family’(sic) ^[2]

Funding

The Trust says that it ‘is funded entirely by voluntary donations’, taking no ‘government funding, directly or indirectly.’ ^[2]

In the year ending 31 Dec 2010 the Trust had an income of £164,179 and expenditure of £88,607.

Charitable status

The Trust was first registered as a Charity (No.266382) on 11 October 1973. According to Charity Commission records, this was under the name of the Responsible Society Research and Education Trust, and then later as the Family Education Trust, which operated until 30 June 1999 when it 'ceased to exist'. The Trust's original charitable objectives were 'to carry out or promote research into the social, medical, economic and psychological consequences of sexual behaviour and to publish the results of such research'. ^[14]

In 1999 a 'new' charity called the Family Education Trust was registered with the Commission. (Charity no.1070500).Its founding principles included a second objective to the one outlined above. This was 'to establish, carry out and promote research into the family founded on marriage; and to publish and disseminate the information and data obtained therefrom.^[15]

By 2000 the Trust reportedly had over 2000 members. ^[16]

Grants issued

The Trust funded the research for a CIVITAS publication by Rebecca O'Neill in 2005 on 'Fiscal Policy and the Family: How the Family Fares in France, Germany and the UK'. It included a foreword by John Haskey.^[17]

People

Valerie Riches - Founder President and trustee, also served as Director until 2000 ^[18]
Norman Wells - Director
Irina Tyk

Trustees 2012

Arthur Cornell MEd, F.Coll.P (Chairman); Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB BS DMJ; Eric Hester BA (Vice Chairman); Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary); Valerie Riches (Founder President); Dr Trevor Stammers BSc FRCGP DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan MA^[19]

Sponsors 2012

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; The Viscountess Brentford OBE; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; The Baroness Elles; The Duke of Montrose; The Baroness O'Cathain OBE; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe ^[19]

Executive Committee Members circa 2011

Ann Allen, Sarah Carter, Anna Lines, Gillian White, Fiona Wyatt

Former staff

Robert Whelan served as FET's director from 2000 until 2004, and was a member of its Executive Committee for many years beforehand. In his outgoing director's report in 2004 Whelan said that his 'appointment as Director had been a serendipitous idea of Valerie Riches and had not been intended as a permanent one. He had enjoyed and valued the work which he had been able to combine with his work for Civitas to the benefit of both organisations. He praised the work of his former assistant, now Director, Norman Wells'. Whelan continues his association with FET as a trustee. ^[20]

Trustees circa 2010

Arthur Cornell MEd, F.Coll.P (Chairman); Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB BS DMJ; Eric Hester BA (Vice Chairman); Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary) - he passed away 2007, though remains on the website as a trustee; Valerie Riches(Founder President); Dr Trevor Stammers BSc FRCGP DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan MA (former Director of FET, 2000-04)^[2]

Sponsors circa 2010

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; The Viscountess Brentford OBE; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; Baroness Elles (sponsored FET from 1990 until her death in October 2009)^[21]; The Duke of Montrose; Baroness O'Cathain OBE; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe ^[2] Professor Brenda Almond (circa 2011) Michael McKenzie (circa 2011) ^[22]

Former sponsors pre-2010

Baroness Young ^[23]

Trustees circa 2005

Arthur Cornell MED, F.Coll.P; Betty, Lady Grantchester; Dr John Guly MB, BS, DMJ; Eric Hester BA; Simon J Ling MA FCA (Hon Treasurer); Denis Riches BSc (Secretary); Valerie Riches; Dr Trevor Stammers BSc, MRCGP, DRCOG, DPAB; Robert Whelan, MA Cantab^[24]

Sponsors circa 2005

Professor John Bonnar MA MD FRCOG; Peter Dawson OBE BSc FRSA; Baroness Elles of Westminster; Professor Dennis O'Keeffe MA PhD; Sir John Peel KCVO FRCS FRCP; J S Scott MD FRCS FRCOG^[24]

Affiliations

Coalition for Marriage - Norman Wells is a director
Sex and Relationships Education Council – the Trust is a founding member of this 'umbrella body representing sex and relationship education providers' launched in Parliament in May 2011. Other founding members are: evaluate, Lovewise, Challenge Teams, LIFE, Silver Ring Thing and Right to Life. ^[25]

Resources, Contact, Notes