The Marmot report was published on 11th February. The list of contributors reads like the Who’s Who of researchers and opinion leaders in the field of research into the links between deprivation and health over the last two decades. It is a report for the Department of Health in England. I hope that the newly rebranded Public Health Wales and the Assembly will read, learn and act. The authors’ biggest priority is the improvement of the lives of the youngest living in poverty:”giving every child the best start in life”.
The Report talks about ‘positive attachment between a young child and the care giver’:
“Early, secure attachments contribute to the growth of a broad range of competencies, including the self esteem, self-efficacy and positive social skills that are associated with better educational, social and labour market outcomes in later life.”
In his BBC News interview Professor Marmot was more direct about what this actually meant:
Every child needs to be nurtured at an early stage.
“In one study, mothers were asked whether it was important to cuddle and talk to a child.
“I would have thought every mother would have said yes to that – but not all of them did.
“That made my hair stand on end.
“And it follows the social gradient – women from less well-off families are less likely to see this as important.
“But then by the age of three, these children had more behavioural problems and worse cognitive skills.
“Then they have less readiness to learn, and the problems continue.”
We know from research on Romanian orphans that by the age of three neglected children have irreversible brain damage on MRI scans. This fits with my experience as a Valleys general practitioner although the picture is much more complex: whilst it is common to find infants and toddlers strapped in pushchairs and baby seats on a home visit at some addresses, it is rare to find emotionally cold, show home-tidy and socially isolated homes in those streets.
Over the years I have got very angry with commentators who have told me that the answer to Merthyr’s problems is to make everyone middle class with middle class values. I have also been rebuked by Health Visitors and Social Workers when I have used sitting with an infant and reading as a measure of good parenting. How do those of us concerned with addressing these complex challenges bring about change sensitively and effectively and break the generational cycle of inadequately cwtched infants?
Katherine 11:40 am on 12 April, 2010 Permalink
Hello Jonathon
Let me just say I agree with you about the improtance ofa cwtch and I prefer to cwtch my child rather than not. However I have a son who absolutely adores a cwtch and a daughter who doesn’t want them. I suppose what I am saying here is that what may help parents better is not a framework that says “you should be doing this or you should be doing that” but rather a framework that gives parent the awareness and skills to recognise their childs needs and to get back to trusting their instincts on how to best meet them.
““But then by the age of three, these children had more behavioural problems and worse cognitive skills.”
It suggested to me in your writing that the lack of a cwtch in these childrens lives was the whole reason they had more behavioural problems. It may be the lack of physical closeness contributed and surely there are other factors in the way these children were brought up that had an effect on the way they choose to behave.
I think there needs to be less in society about telling parents what is right and wrong about raising their children and more on skilling parents up on how to recognise what would be in the best interests of their own child, being that each child IS individual. Maybe that way we can raise children who can grow into themselves not into who society dictates they should be. Oh but then there might be happier people and less of a need for antidepressants then!
Just my two pennies worth