Letter: What children need

Sir: Children's mental health needs (letter, 22 December) are indeed different to those of adults, and we share Peter Wilson's concern on this subject. Attachment Disorder is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a serious, relatively fixed emotional and behavioural disturbance in a child whose early attachment relationships were abnormal.

Policies that encourage all-day creches, nursery hotels etc ignore the abnormality of this care for babies and infants. Babies are not herd animals and in the early years require consistent one-to-one care, preferably by their mothers, who are uniquely equipped for this vital, undervalued job.

Research evidence and common sense support this view, yet the Government continues to support alternative child-care, ignoring the army of mothers who would prefer to care for their own babies at home if they were supported financially and socially to do so.

Families would also need reassurance that a work re-entry system was in place for mothers once their children started school.

While the emotional needs of children during their crucial first three years are misunderstood or ignored, adult Attachment Disorder tragedies will increase.

SUE CLASEN

Chairman

What About The Children

Pershore, Hereford and Worcestershire