The Winchester MP said he had heard much about their work and how valuable they are to the local community, and made the point that the perception of Winchester was of a wealthy and stable community but this was by no means the whole picture as there were areas of great poverty and need. He also made the point that, nationally, the costs resulting from family breakdowns in the UK are in the region of £49 billion per year.
Founded by Ann Titman and Dorothy Richardson in 1993, Friends of the Family is a charity for vulnerable families and their children who live in the Winchester district. It is managed by Trustees and run by professional staff and volunteers, and over the years, has assisted more than 200 families.
In his talk, Steve focussed on early intervention and what the Government is trying to do with the Fractured Families initiative. It is estimated that 80% of long term prisoners had attachment problems in babyhood and the focus should be on the first two years of a child's life.
Speaking afterwards, Steve said: "Friends of the Family are a wonderful organisation, and they were actually one of the first to touch base with me following my election back in 2010. I was absolutely thrilled to be here today to speak about a topic I am very passionate about, and thank the whole team, volunteers and founders for the vital work they do."
Pictured; Steve joins Chair of Friends of the Family, Viv Wheeler
More information ...
You can read Steve's speech in full here.