“I’ve never seen change”: The parents with big concerns about their kids’ future… but can’t see any answers

Polling day is now very close.

The six-week election campaign was triggered by Rishi’s announcement in the May rain.

It looks set to finish in unseasonal 17-degree July cloud.

On the campaign trail, politicians have talked housing, pensions, and tax burdens.

There’s been a lot of debate on migration, D-Day commemorations, and the NHS’ future.

But the campaign hasn’t heard much mention of issues which matter to parents.

Topics like education funding, child mental health provision, and anti-social behaviour have not dominated the headlines since May 22.

However, parents make up a huge majority of voters - two in five according to the Office for National Statistics.

In a campaign where parents have been largely overlooked, the Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to mums at a Chadderton high school which takes in pupils from three Greater Manchester constituencies.

The school is St John Henry Newman Catholic College, on Broadway.

The constituencies are Oldham West and Royton, Oldham East and Saddleworth, and Manchester Central.

The first mum we speak to is Sarah Grimes, a 33-year-old single mum who is a train station manager.

She has an 11-year-old son, called Connor, and they live in Limeside - where Sarah grew up.

Sarah and Connor use the NHS, with her lad accessing child and adolescent mental health services (CAHMS) at the moment.

That’s why Sarah is hoping for more mental health service funding, after Connor ‘got left for six months without an appointment’ on the NHS.

She explained: “His mental health massively deteriorated [during that time].

"For myself, I work full time and his hospital appointments are not made for working people - my mum had to take him. It’s not ideal.

"They don’t understand parents like myself can’t take time off… on a weekly basis.”

Sarah doesn’t think a change of government will lead to improved provision though.

“I have never seen change,” she replied when asked why she ‘doesn’t have faith’ in any of the major parties.

“Over the last few years of being an adult, I don’t think I have seen a political party do anything for anyone, in my personal opinion.”

Sarah went on to cite examples of ‘scapegoating’ problems in services.

She says things like the pandemic are too quickly blamed for issues in the NHS.

Mary McDerby is from Newton Heath.

Her daughter is in year 10, which means she will be taking her GCSEs in 12 months time.

And with her daughter getting to a critical point in her education, that’s why Mary’s concerns surround funding.

“What college places are going to be available? What courses?"

"Any impact on funding could cut that,” she said.

However, even with questions mounting in her head about the election, Mary can’t see an obvious choice at the ballot box.

“It all sounds the same,” said the 55-year-old when asked why she was on the fence.

“It’s same-same for me, at my age… I’m not convinced with the funding offering that they will meet any challenges we have in education.

“I’ve seen, in my lifetime, parties come and go.

"It’s hard to make changes in the first four years, that’s understandable.

"But they need to follow through on what they promise.”

But Sarah and Mary are not the only voters in north Greater Manchester to be on the fence this election.

Two weeks ago, the LDRS spoke to voters in Royton Town Centre, and it appears undecided voters can be of any age.

“Nah, I don’t care about all that, sorry,” one mum said.

The LDRS’ trip to the western half of the borough threw up similar results to views shared in Oldham East.

“We need some kind of revolution,” a 62-year-old Waterhead mum-of-two who asked not to be named, said.

“Whether it’s new politicians or other people changing things.

"It’s up to people to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’.”

The GP office worker felt that ‘the country’s going to rack and ruin’.

She went on: “It’s fine if you’re on benefits and don’t work and it’s fine if you’ve already got the money.

"It’s the middle range, the working people who don’t benefit in any shape or form at the moment.”

“I work in a GP surgery and it takes at least eight weeks to get an appointment. It’s just crazy.

"The whole system needs to change.”

The general election will be held on Thursday, July 4.

Polls are open from 7am to 10pm.

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