In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, Sir Richard Bowlby, president of the Centre for Child Mental Health, and seven other signatories, including authors and psychologists Sue Gerhardt, Steve Biddulph and Sue Palmer, said that although nurseries strive to provide 'continuity in personalised care-giving', many 'fall short'.
In a research paper released on the same day, Sir Richard, whose father pioneered attachment theory, suggests we risk storing up behavioural difficulties in children who spend long periods in circumstances that may not meet their emotional needs. He says parents should be able to use allowances to pay relatives to care for children or to 'stay at home themselves'.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive NDNA, said the research does not 'present an accurate view of day nurseries'.
An NCMA spokesperson said this is 'more evidence' that home-based environments can be more beneficial for 'some babies'' emotional development.
The Need for Secondary Attachment Figures in Childcare by Sir Richard Bowlby can be downloaded at www.telegraph.
co.uk/news/grapics/2006/10/21/bowlby.pdf.
