Rebecca Montacute

...(open to if right info available etc but as it's weighing a large chance of some risks vs small chance of other risks, but those risks themselves are v different, I do think it needs to be personal preference as to how big those issues are for the individual and how much the risk matters)

... I also personally on this issue think it should be up to woman to make that decision/there shouldn't be a policy to try to bring down the rate at which they're opting for C-sections...

From media reporting (not sure if anyone has done any research on this) it seems like women who want elective C-sections can sometimes get denials already (even though that isn't policy) so I'm quite doubtful there's an issue now of it being overly easy for women...

... are properly trained/making the right interventions as needed during an attempt at vaginal birth.

....and whether those er towards C-sections/if those are the right medical decisions (if the woman herself doesn't changer her mind to a c section). I don't think the aim should be to bring C-section rates down, but to make sure women are given the info they need and medical professionals...

I think there's two different issues 1.) what are women able to decide about their own births - they shouldn't be pushed away from c sections if they have been talked through the evidence and want one, 2.) what happens during an attempted vaginal labour and how decisions are made...

We're bringing back our chief economist role, and very happy to say @gideonsalutin.bsky.social is taking up the position 🎉

He'll be helping to steer the SMF's economic research agenda and strengthening the analytical foundations of that work across the organisation ⤵️

Potential for Success - The Sutton Trust Potential for Success analyses how high performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds fare in secondary schools.

(I wrote ages ago about the challenge of recognising potential - particularly for students from lower income backgrounds - and what schools can do to support high attainers within schools so that support isn't totally cut off from those who aren't picked up - www.suttontrust.com/our-research...)

This just keeps on coming back around forever doesn't it (and then we have to point out all the issues with grammars yet again) - selecting by "ability" often means selecting by wealth, and outcomes are worse for the kids outside of grammars - we should care about them too.

Apprenticeships still haven’t worked out their place in t... Today’s policymakers have struggled for decades to unlock the benefits of a scheme that helped to build prosperity in the age of trades and artisans

Great to chat to Martha Gill for this recent piece on apprenticeship policy for the @smfthinktank.bsky.social ⬇

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

We have a new guest report out today (part of our SMF perspectives series) from Michael Johnson, one of Britain's leading authorities on pension policy -

A few snaps from a really interesting roundtable event on NEETs at the end of last week (hosted by Etio) - particularly enjoyed getting to actually visit a college site (and what a view from the Ada, National College for Digital Skills London campus)

Learnt yesterday this is also now a thing in Bristol - www.bristol247.com/news-and-fea...

A recent @smfthinktank.bsky.social briefing looked at the health and care system in prisons, finding multiple failings across the system.

Come join for a discussion of the issues later this month ⬇️

And again, this is feeding the same sentiment -

....and that type of thing presumably matters a lot re signalling you're the ones that can win in a block? Ofc if they keep up momentum that will help with fundraising as well so might not end up a big issue.

Yea membership will definitely help (and I don't think they'll have an issue with finding activists), but they won't be able to do the leaflet cover/digital ads £ wise needed in that many seats at once without some other additional revenue as well...

This is an interesting piece - I've been wondering this morning how much their finances will be a potentially limiting factor as well, they bring in much less money than other parties atm (and as lots of people have flagged this isn't an issue for Reform who have ££s)

So much of the discussion on student loans focuses on issues impacting higher earners (e.g. the interest rates) and ignores abolition of maintenance grants (starting working class young people off with higher debts), the erosion of maintenance loans over time and family income threshold freezes.

It's a problem the interest rates are getting so much attention (which impacts higher earners as keeps them in repayments longer) but issues like the level repayments start + how much money students actually have to live on at uni (which impact lower income students much more) get less attention

ICYM the SMF recently published an important briefing on lead poisoning.

An estimated 168,000 children in Britain could have unsafe levels of lead in their blood - but we can only get a "best guess" at this as we don't collect population level data on it ⤵️

It is in all of our interests to improve prisoner health It may not be a huge vote-winner, but a safer prison estate benefits society as a whole.

It is in all of our interests to improve prisoner health

For @politicshome.bsky.social, Jake Shepherd writes about the realities of ill health in the prison estate.

buff.ly/qRkIlJW

SEND reforms are finally here – but will they deliver? Reform of the SEND system was a necessity for this government, as cost spiralled at the same time as the system was failing to deliver for many of the children who need it most.

Myself and @danihpayne.bsky.social's assessment of today's SEND reforms and the potential political battle ahead to pass them -

www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

SEND reforms are finally here – but will they deliver? Reform of the SEND system was a necessity for this government, as cost spiralled at the same time as the system was failing to deliver for many of the children who need it most.

Myself and @danihpayne.bsky.social's assessment of today's SEND reforms and the potential political battle ahead to pass them -

www.smf.co.uk/commentary_p...

🗣️Our Head of Education and Social Mobility @danihpayne.bsky.social quoted in @theipaper.com today on SEND reform.

SMF broadly welcomed the SEND reforms, but noted political challenges to come for the Government on this sensitive policy area.

(by wrong I mean those that don't need it as much e.g. those only just below the target might get pushed up a bit)

what are your thoughts on the EY/school readiness target? My issue there is almost the opposite that it isn't really that ambitious/they'll probably do it anyway and if it does have any impact it's the wrong kids

I mean having an ambitious target to e.g. signal to the civil service you care about this to me seems fine enough/not damaging - but agree it's really unlikely alone to be very impactful at all

On some of the wider stuff in the schools white paper - an ambition to half the attainment gap is incredibly ambitious (and welcome!) but I'm not currently convinced government are doing enough to meet that - there's lots of positive stuff, but the scale just isn't enough vs the challenge

Fixing the SEND system: what is possible? England’s SEND system is widely recognised to be in crisis. Government is considering reform - but what do teachers think?

(and if interested in our paper on it, you can find it here - www.smf.co.uk/publications...)