The report Breakthrough Britain: the next generation (News, 11 September), published by the Centre for Social Justice, established by the ex-leader of the Conservative party Iain Duncan Smith, reiterates the importance of relationships in every child's life. It is critical of current Labour policy for 'forgetting' this significance. The report comments in several places that 'the ills of society' are to be blamed on poor parent-child relationships and the thrust for mothers to return to work and contribute to the economy. It draws attention to brain studies as confirming that the foundations of happy and healthy lives are laid down in the early years by the formation of a close bond between parent and child.
I am not sure studies say it has to be 'parents'; they do illustrate how stress inhibits learning and development, but not that young children have to be with their parents the whole time.
The document proposes the expansion of parental entitlements, including the right to remain at home with enhanced financial support. This is welcome, yet I have to ask why I experienced cynicism when I read this document.
I think it comes because of the timing and for two reasons. The Tories expect to return to government - are they asking themselves whether they need good reason to abandon the community-based provisions that the extensive children's centre programme is bringing and use the money elsewhere? Second, this document comes at a time of economic recession, when it might seem prudent for the economy to get women out of the workforce, leaving more jobs for men. Those who remember John Bowlby's work on relationship-building will recall it was used post-war to move women out of the workplace and back to the home, although Bowlby always said that well-developed practitioners as well as parents could offer caring and warm environments.
I would have welcomed further discussion of the child's right to and benefits from an engagement in high-quality care/educational settings. There's no reason why we shouldn't have it all ways, is there? Choice for mothers and fathers, a focus on the family and the protection of the child's right to learn in peer communities? I take exception to women being used as political footballs, and I worry for the future of our evolving community services for children and families.
- Pat Broadhead is professor of playful learning at Leeds Metropolitan University and chair of TACTYC (www.tactyc.org.uk).
