Editing Conservative Party (UK) (section)

==== Family policy ====
As prime minister, [[David Cameron]] wanted to 'support family life in Britain' and put families at the centre of domestic social policymaking.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/david-cameron-on-families|title=David Cameron on families|work=GOV.UK|access-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201005256/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/david-cameron-on-families|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He stated in 2014 that there was 'no better place to start' in the Conservative mission of 'building society from the bottom up' than the family, which was responsible for individual welfare and well-being long before the welfare state came into play.<ref name=":1" /> He also argued that 'family and politics are inextricably linked'.<ref name=":1" /> Both Cameron and [[Theresa May]] aimed at helping families achieve a work-home balance and have previously proposed to offer all parents 12 months parental leave, to be shared by parents as they choose.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/mar/15/davidcameron.conservatives|title=Family at heart of Conservative policy, says Cameron|first1=Deborah|last1=Summers|date=15 March 2008|access-date=4 April 2017|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301040832/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/mar/15/davidcameron.conservatives|archive-date=1 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> This policy is now in place, offering 50 weeks total parental leave, of which 37 weeks are paid leave, which can be shared between both parents.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay|title=Shared Parental Leave and Pay|work=GOV.UK|access-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201005414/https://www.gov.uk/shared-parental-leave-and-pay|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other policies have included doubling the free hours of childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds from 15 hours to 30 hours a week during term-time, although parents can reduce the number of hours per week to 22 and spread across 52 weeks of the year. The government also introduced a policy to fund 15 hours a week of free education and childcare for 2-year-olds in England if parents are receiving certain state benefits or the child has a SEN statement or diagnosis, worth £2,500 a year per child.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11534619/manifesto-policies-summary.html|title=Conservative manifesto 2015: summary of key policies|date=8 May 2015|work=The Telegraph|access-date=4 April 2017|last1=Swinford|first1=Steven|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309172027/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11534619/manifesto-policies-summary.html|archive-date=9 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds|title=Help paying for childcare|work=GOV.UK|access-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201005310/https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-2-year-olds|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>