Theory of Change
Working Families’ theory of change sets out what we want to achieve, and how we plan to get there. Our theory of change underpins our strategy for 2024-2029, and all the work we undertake.
Goal
Parents and carers access, progress and thrive in work, while fulfilling their caring responsibilities
Impact
UK working culture shifts to be compatible with caring responsibilities and a labour market that offers continuously improving flexible and secure working opportunities
Outcomes
Parents and carers are informed and empowered to make use of their employment rights and entitlements to enter, progress and thrive in work
Employers offer and promote flexible and family friendly working practices and opportunities
Policymakers legislate and act to create a policy framework that provides an improving baseline of rights and entitlements for working parents and carers
Activities
Legal Advice Service
Employer Services
Policy, Influencing & Research
Change Mechanisms
Empowered parents and carers
Inspired employers
Government sees the whole picture
Enabling Factors
Parents and carers’ desire to use their rights
Employers desire to create family friendly workplaces
Political will to create a policy framework
Assumptions
- Good work provides a range of individual and societal benefits: financial security, access to community, improved social connections, improved mental and physical health and an active contribution to the health and development of society.
- Families bear primary responsibility for the education and socialisation of children and for the care or support of adults in need
- Parents and carers should have quality jobs
- Parents and carers require our support
- Parents and carers should have choice in balancing work and care
- Parents should be supported to gain quality work
- Diverse, flexible & family friendly workplaces are more successful
- Employers require our support to create flexible & family friendly workplaces