The show has been widely slammed by critics for 'experimenting' onbabies with outdated and discredited theories which could harm theirdevelopment ('Analysis', 11 October and News, 4 October).
Baby guru Claire Verity's strict routine from the 1950s has attractedthe most outrage.
In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, a group of leading professionals andacademics condemned the makers of the 'exploitative parentingseries'.
Signatories included the Family and Parenting Institute, the Associationfor Infant Mental Health UK and Unite/Community Practitioners and HealthVisitors Association.
Their letter said that last year, 83 per cent of parents polled by theFamily and Parenting Institute said they found techniques in parentingprogrammes helpful. But it added, 'With such an influence on parents, itis shocking that broadcasters do not exercise more responsibility. Wecall on all production companies to stop making programmes that giveirresponsible advice and turn the suffering of tiny babies into adultentertainment.'
Unite/CPHVA has called for a watchdog to monitor parenting programmes.Professional officer Maggie Fisher said, 'We need to establish how suchan ethics committee might function - who would sit on it, what powers itwould have and what its legal basis might be. It is clear that voluntarycodes of conduct don't work with a television industry obsessed withaudience rating figures.'
