Universal Parenting Support and Guidance is Welcome, and Should Influence Policy

GOOD parenting allows babies and young children to grow into emotionally secure, intelligent, socially competent and happy young people. We also know that good parents are “made”, not “born”. So the proposal by Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS (More help is needed for all parents, May 27) to introduce universal parenting support and guidance should be very welcome by all who are concerned about our society’s future.

As the report indicates, repairing the effects in children of poor parenting in the early years is very difficult. By the time these difficulties are tackled, often by schools, mental health and drug services and the criminal justice system, it can seem too late. This is why services for vulnerable children rightly pursue the holy grail of effective “early intervention” – helping people before difficulties become entrenched. Support and guidance for all parents to get it right in those crucial first years of a child’s life is the earliest form of intervention and surely the least intrusive and most effective. In developing a universal service, this initiative will, paradoxically, be right on target.

The Lilias Graham Trust is a charity working intensively with families in a residential setting outside Glasgow. In partnership with social work, education and health colleagues, the trust helps parents develop the capacity to bring up their own children and so prevent the ultimate state intervention – that of removing children from parents who are not “good enough”. Many of the parents we work with are vulnerable, having themselves been victims of poor or abusive parenting. Many also cope with poverty and unintentional exclusion from services and facilities taken for granted by most families.

All Glasgow’s children deserve the best parenting, so I especially welcome that this universal, non stigmatising service will actively reach out to the most vulnerable parents and their children.

Cath Morrison, Chief Executive, The Lilias Graham Trust, Braendam Family House, Thornhill.

IT WAS with professional and academic interest that I read The Herald’s article regarding the planned approach to ensure a universal and sustained approach to improving childhood health outcomes. This approach, including the provision of parenting skills and infant massage, is particularly heartening in that the health board acknowledges the crucial role that public health nurses (health visitors and school nurses) will play in these plans.

However, as you have reported before in your paper, the approach by Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS is at odds with the current Scottish Government “pilot” across sites in Scotland. This aims to evaluate whether the Scottish NHS can dispense with the distinct roles of health visitors, school nurses and district nurses and merge them into one community health nursing discipline, responsible for providing the entire gamut of nursing and nursing-related health improvement work within our communities.

Having regular contact with nurses across the pilot sites and beyond, I know they are saddened and deeply worried. I only hope the other comment in your article – about the Glasgow approach influencing Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon’s plans in relation to addressing health inequalities – can be extended to allow some influence in relation to the pilot for community nursing. I urge Nicola Sturgeon to come out and speak to the staff. She will hear first-hand what the concerns are – and the inability to address health inequalities in the future is one of them.

Angie Docherty, 10 Eldon Street, Greenock.

WITH regard to your article on children’s care homes (May 29): in excess of 50per cent failing to meet adequate standards is obviously very worrying and is totally unacceptable.

In the article, Anne Houston of Children 1st is quoted as asking whether more can be done to keep vulnerable children and young people who cannot remain with their parents within their wider family, instead of being taken into care. As a panel member on the Children’s Hearing System, I always ask myself whether residential care is necessary, and whether is it likely bring a benefit to the child/young person.

But other avenues for children who are on compulsory measures of supervision are considered prior to this. From experience, extended family are one of the prime sources of care, and if it wasn’t for the willingness and support offered by family then we may see more children in residential or other care provisions. I for one would support Anne Houston on this and I would think a good many panel members would agree where and when this is a practical and beneficial option for the child.

Sadly, there are times when it is not and residential care is the option left. When this is the case, it is imperative that the care home is up to standard and a safe place to stay. The welfare of the child is paramount.

Ronald Fletcher, Kelton, Castle Douglas.

Originally published by Newsquest Media Group.

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