|
||
|
||
|
|
 |
||||||||
15 May 2007 Family support charity celebrate International Family Day Family support charity Scottish Marriage Care (SMC) is urging people to use International Family Day as an opportunity to assess their own family relationships. May 15th was designated International Family Day by the United Nations General Assembly in September 1993. Its aim is to help promote international awareness of issues relating to families and reflects the importance of families as a basic unit of society. "Today is a chance to recognise the important role that our families play in our lives and to celebrate it. It's also an opportunity to really examine the state of relationships within our families and take steps to overcome any issues affecting them," SMC Chief Executive Mary Toner stated. It has been estimated that family breakdown cost the economy between £15 and £20 billion each year, approximately £4 billion in Scotland. And that's just the financial cost. Family problems can spill over into the work place with employees taking time off with related health problems such as depression and increased stress. Research also shows young people experiencing family breakdown are more vulnerable to mental and physical illness, more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, engage in youth crime and underachieve in school. They also have an increased risk of developing relationship difficulties themselves in later life. "Relationship counselling can help couples to explore the issues in their relationship, so that they are able to come to a reasoned decision about how to work through these. It provides the tools so that couples can move forward together as a family," said Mary Toner. International Family Day is part of an increasing focus on the importance of families in Britain today. All leading political parties in the recent Scottish Parliament elections focused on the need for greater family support services and the impact of family breakdown on children and the wider community. For further information, please contact: April Mitchinson, Research and Communications
Manager Phone:0141-222 2166 |
|||||||||
|
||||||
