Contributors at the event, organised by the Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, spoke out against what they view as 'damaging myths' about children and parenting.
One was John T Bruer, author of the book The Myth of the First Three Years. He said, 'There is nothing wrong with attempts to improve parenting, childcare and social policy through appropriate use of the natural and social sciences. We should look for every opportunity to do so. What we should avoid, however, is selective appeals to science to rationalise what may be only our own preconceived policy ends. This is politics disguised as science.'
Mr Bruer is among commentators arguing that there is no real scientific basis for early intervention and that parents should not be made to feel guilty for decisions they make, such as mothers returning to work and putting their children in nursery.
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