Ministers and bosses are backing a "dad and sons" campaign to give fathers extra time off work to help with their son's schoolwork.

Education minister for young people, Stephen Twigg, has launched the "Give an Hour" scheme encouraging employers to allow fathers to help with the home work of 11-14-year old sons.

Forum Response: Professional Association of Teachers

PAT senior professional officer Alison Johnston said: "We welcome this initiative. We believe that parents should be involved as much as possible in supporting and encouraging their children's education.

"However, this scheme should be part of wider efforts to reduce excessive working hours. There is also the danger that the campaign could be seen as sexist. What about encouraging fathers to help their daughters too, and encouraging all parents to become more involved with their children's homework?"

Forum Response: CARE

Adam Atkinson, director of communications at CARE, told ePolitix.com: "CARE is thrilled by the initiative that the government has taken with the new 'dads and sons' campaign. There is definitely a need for more fathers to be more involved with their children and we know that boys, in particular as they approach puberty, need a father to be there and model important life patterns in clear, positive and involved ways. This is a good initial way to provide solutions to an accurately diagnosed problem.

"Of course there are major issues of work/life balance to be addressed in the UK and employers need encouragement by government to help people live family life in a more sustainable way. The 'give and hour' scheme is a good first step to helping fathers have more involvement with their sons and is really welcome.

"CARE hopes that in time not just reluctantly absent fathers but whole families will be enabled to have time growing and learning together - after all the stability that this brings is of clear benefit for the whole of society."

Forum Response: Institute of Directors

Richard Wilson, business policy executive, at the IoD, told ePolitix.com: "It is excellent to see the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) supporting the 'dads and sons' campaign. Most employers are also parents and naturally recognise the need to achieve a sensible balance between work and home life.

"A survey of IoD members published in 2001 showed that 53 per cent of directors allowed their employees to have flexible working hours and 46 per cent were happy for their staff to work at home.

"As the 'dads and sons' campaign is such a worthy one, no doubt the DfES, other government departments, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies will be leading by example and be lining up to provide opportunities for their own staff to take extra time off to bond with their children".