LibDems announce 35 hours of ‘free childcare’ for babies of nine months, but where is the evidence that this will achieve the transformation to the economy and what are the long term costs to the emotional wellbeing of children ?

The positive effects of free early years education from the age of three are many; however, to apply the same rule of thumb to babies of nine months is misguided and not based on the evidence on early brain development. In the first years of life, from conception to age three, the brain is growing…

Why seek sympathy…?

It’s concerning how, with increasing regularity, print and broadcast media calls for special sympathy and understanding for one particular group in society … PARENTS! Yet parenthood is a ‘natural’ role and doesn’t happen by fiat. As never before in history has ‘parenting by choice’ been more available. However, notwithstanding that most parents have opted for…

‘A Mother’s Instinct’, a sequel

“A Mother’s Instinct” was the theme of the previous blog, but what do we understand by ‘maternal ‘instinct’? Maternal instinct is evident in animals, for example a zebra whose infant had died at birth observed trying to steal another zebra’s foal, so intense was her grief and inability to understand what had happened to her…

‘A Mother’s Instinct’

Since becoming pregnant with Poppy I had so much advice given, but the most important guide for me was to follow my instincts. I would think, ‘But how will I know?’ However, as soon as I gave birth to this tiny little baby, the one thing I remember the most was that all my senses…

Why are so many more primary school children suffering mental health problems today?

Today, July 18th 2019, the newspapers, and the media in general, are leading on children’s mental wellbeing, or rather lack of it. Again. This time the statistics are telling us that there has been an almost 50% increase over the last 3 years in mental health referrals by primary schools. Primary Schools! It would be…

June Blog Children’s Mental Health. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’

‘A stitch in time saves nine’ is a brilliant proverb because it is reminds us of the power of timely action. Unfortunately, the plan announced by Theresa May, calling for all new teachers to be trained to spot early warning signs of mental illness and for NHS staff to be encouraged to take suicide prevention…