I wrote to Channel Four requesting detailed information about the upcoming Silver River Production, Bringing Up Baby. I have emailed previously and had a feeble response from Hamish Mykura, Head of History, Science & Religion at Channel Four, who is responsible for the programme. I have added Silver Rivers responses, which are equally unaceptable.
Links to the correspondence are here
Letter from Clive Dorman at The Children's Project to Channel Four 17.05.2007
Reply from Channel Four 23.05.2007
Letter from Clive Dorman at The Children's Project to Silver River Productions 17.05.2007
Reply from Silver River 31.05.2007
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this correspondence you can contact
The Children's Project using the links above by email, phone or post.
Channel Four (who commissioned the programme)
Channel Four Television
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
Switchboard 020 7396 4444 (outside UK +4420 7369 4444)
Our reply is from David Glover
Deputy Commissioning Editor
Specialist Factual
Silver River (who are producing the programme)
Silver River Productions
4th Floor, Brook House
2-16 Torrington Place
London
WC1E 7HN
T 020 7307 2720 (outside UK +4420 7307 2720)
E info@silverriver.tv
Our reply is from Tanya Shaw
Executive Producer
About babies and toddlers, the media, attachment, play, work and parenting.
Monday, 11 June 2007
Reply to Clive Dorman from Channel Four
Clive Dorman
The Children's Project
PO Box 2
Richmond
TW10 7FL
23rd May 2007
Dear Clive
Thank you for your letter to Hamish Mykura of the 17th May 2007.
I would like to reassure you once again that we take the welfare of children in this series, as with all programmes, very seriously.
Bringing Up Baby is a thoughtful and responsible observation of different methods of childcare. There have been conflicting and different views in this area for many years and it is, without doubt, a valid area for exploration in a television programme.
The series is not setting out to promote any particular method of childcare, but rather to explore and to contrast them.
I appreciate your interest in this series and hope that when you have seen it, your fears will be allayed.
Yours sincerely
David Glover
Deputy Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual
Channel Four
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
020 7396 4444
The Children's Project
PO Box 2
Richmond
TW10 7FL
23rd May 2007
Dear Clive
Thank you for your letter to Hamish Mykura of the 17th May 2007.
I would like to reassure you once again that we take the welfare of children in this series, as with all programmes, very seriously.
Bringing Up Baby is a thoughtful and responsible observation of different methods of childcare. There have been conflicting and different views in this area for many years and it is, without doubt, a valid area for exploration in a television programme.
The series is not setting out to promote any particular method of childcare, but rather to explore and to contrast them.
I appreciate your interest in this series and hope that when you have seen it, your fears will be allayed.
Yours sincerely
David Glover
Deputy Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual
Channel Four
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
020 7396 4444
Letter from Clive Dorman to Channel 4 about Bringing Up Baby
I have this elsewhere on the site as an original letter in pdf form. This is the text of that letter...
Hamish Mykura
Head of History, Science & Religion
Channel Four Television
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
17th May 2007
Dear Hamish
BRINGING UP BABY / CLAIRE VERITY
You may recall our having email correspondence about the above show (22.11.06), and sending me reassurances that safeguards are in place to protect both babies and the families of those involved.
In view of Corinne Abrams feature in May 12’s Sun Newspaper, and reports that Claire Verity is involved with the show, I must formally ask for further reassurances.
I do need something more detailed than you have so far offered. We and our colleagues count amongst some of the world’s most widely respected researchers and experts in child development and welfare. I don’t believe it can be acceptable for you to dismiss us simply because you have either not heard about, or do not agree with, the concerns being expressed. Would you, for example, commission a show in which a group of teenagers were offered a range of drugs to try, from coffee and cola through to heroin and crack cocaine? The research on attachment, brain development, and the importance of early emotional health are universally conclusive. There can few other research areas that in their hundreds, produce such conclusive evidence.
There is an endemic problem in this country which is; many people believe that somehow all babies are born inherently evil and that unless they are controlled from the beginning they will grow to become awful children. The roots of this belief are set in the work of King, Ferber, Ezzo, and are now being perpetuated by Claire Verity (and certain other notables), non of whom base their practice on evidence or research. The work of King and others has been universally discredited for decades. As society progresses, many things that were once deemed acceptable, cease to be. Sadly, this fails to be the case for parenting TV shows, and so-called parenting Gurus. Almost without exception they are based on outdated ideas that share nothing with current research, practice or government policy. I find it sad that a forward-looking company such as Channel Four can subscribe to such discredited ideas, when you could be commissioning people such as ourselves to create highly worthy, and far more shocking series on the same subject that accurately reflects modern thinking. That would certainly start a controversy!
Did you know that babies left as you plan to show in Bringing up Baby don’t stop crying because they learn, they simply give up? A permanent emotional wound that effects their entire life. Please be serious about this.
With best wishes
Clive Dorman
Director and Co-founder
The Children’s Project Ltd
A copy of this letter is being sent to Tanya Shaw, Silver River and may be published elsewhere.
Hamish Mykura
Head of History, Science & Religion
Channel Four Television
124 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2TX
17th May 2007
Dear Hamish
BRINGING UP BABY / CLAIRE VERITY
You may recall our having email correspondence about the above show (22.11.06), and sending me reassurances that safeguards are in place to protect both babies and the families of those involved.
In view of Corinne Abrams feature in May 12’s Sun Newspaper, and reports that Claire Verity is involved with the show, I must formally ask for further reassurances.
I do need something more detailed than you have so far offered. We and our colleagues count amongst some of the world’s most widely respected researchers and experts in child development and welfare. I don’t believe it can be acceptable for you to dismiss us simply because you have either not heard about, or do not agree with, the concerns being expressed. Would you, for example, commission a show in which a group of teenagers were offered a range of drugs to try, from coffee and cola through to heroin and crack cocaine? The research on attachment, brain development, and the importance of early emotional health are universally conclusive. There can few other research areas that in their hundreds, produce such conclusive evidence.
There is an endemic problem in this country which is; many people believe that somehow all babies are born inherently evil and that unless they are controlled from the beginning they will grow to become awful children. The roots of this belief are set in the work of King, Ferber, Ezzo, and are now being perpetuated by Claire Verity (and certain other notables), non of whom base their practice on evidence or research. The work of King and others has been universally discredited for decades. As society progresses, many things that were once deemed acceptable, cease to be. Sadly, this fails to be the case for parenting TV shows, and so-called parenting Gurus. Almost without exception they are based on outdated ideas that share nothing with current research, practice or government policy. I find it sad that a forward-looking company such as Channel Four can subscribe to such discredited ideas, when you could be commissioning people such as ourselves to create highly worthy, and far more shocking series on the same subject that accurately reflects modern thinking. That would certainly start a controversy!
Did you know that babies left as you plan to show in Bringing up Baby don’t stop crying because they learn, they simply give up? A permanent emotional wound that effects their entire life. Please be serious about this.
With best wishes
Clive Dorman
Director and Co-founder
The Children’s Project Ltd
A copy of this letter is being sent to Tanya Shaw, Silver River and may be published elsewhere.
Reply from Silver River about Bringing Up Baby
31st May 2007
Dear Clive
Thank you for your letter to myself and Daisy Goodwin of the 17th May 2007.
I'm sorry that our previous correspondence has not been enough to reassure you that we take the responsibility towards the care of the children in our programmes very seriously.
Bringing Up Baby is a thoroughly researched and thoughtful observation of different ways, different people choose to bring up their babies. There have been conflicting views in this area for many years and for this reason, it as (sic) valid topic of debate for a television programme.
I appreciate your concerns but hope that when you see the series, you will be satisfied that your fears were unfounded.
Yours sincerely
Tanya Shaw
Executive Producer
Silver River Productions
4th Floor, Brook House
2-16 Torrington Place
London WC1E 7HN
020 7307 2720
info@silverriver.tv
Dear Clive
Thank you for your letter to myself and Daisy Goodwin of the 17th May 2007.
I'm sorry that our previous correspondence has not been enough to reassure you that we take the responsibility towards the care of the children in our programmes very seriously.
Bringing Up Baby is a thoroughly researched and thoughtful observation of different ways, different people choose to bring up their babies. There have been conflicting views in this area for many years and for this reason, it as (sic) valid topic of debate for a television programme.
I appreciate your concerns but hope that when you see the series, you will be satisfied that your fears were unfounded.
Yours sincerely
Tanya Shaw
Executive Producer
Silver River Productions
4th Floor, Brook House
2-16 Torrington Place
London WC1E 7HN
020 7307 2720
info@silverriver.tv
Letter from Clive Dorman to Silver River about Bring Up Baby
This is the text of a pdf elsewhere, that I wrote to Silver River...
Tanya Shaw
Joint Head, Factual and Features
SILVER RIVER
Brook House
4th Floor
2-16 Torrington Place
London WC1E 7EH
17th May 2007
Dear Tanya
BRINGING UP BABY / CLAIRE VERITY
You may recall our having email correspondence about the above show, and sending me reassurances that safeguards are in place to protect both babies and the families of those involved.
In view of Corinne Abrams feature in May 12’s Sun Newspaper, and reports that Claire Verity is involved with the show, I must formally ask for further reassurances. The following is the basis of an email I sent Hamish Mykura at C4, to which I have not received a satisfactory response, and to whom I am also writing:
Quite simply, babies exposed to anything approaching Truby King’s methods and routines are worryingly likely to suffer neglect and emotional damage that was unknown in his time.
There is a good deal of concern being expressed about this programme and I need an urgent and specific response so that I can come to a balanced and informed conclusion as to whether the show is in fact abusing infants in the name of entertainment.
Specifically:
1.Who are, or which bodies make up, the medical advice and support teams (independent experts) I have been told are advising the programme?
2.Are the parents involved to be informed that Truby King has been internationally discredited for his methods and practices, in order that that they can make an informed choice? I take exception to the comments from Silver River that parents would choose to follow these styles in any case. Some parents also smoke, take heroin and choose to neglect their children, but this does not make, as Daisy suggested, “in our view, a justifiable experiment”.
3.How do Channel Four and Silver River aim to comply with Unicef Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states:
The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child. Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects children’s rights by setting standards
in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services.
http://www.unicef.org/crc/index.htm
4. Do you (both) conform to the guidelines set out by the government – Sure Start Birth to Three Matters? http://www.surestart.gov.uk/resources/childcareworkers/birthtothreematters/ and are you aware of the recommendations in Every Child Matters – http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/napp/
I am sure that C4 and Silver River have good intentions, but it is not acceptable to claim you have no knowledge of the dangers I am alerting you to in order to persist with a programme that should not be aired in the form it is being promoted.
I look forward to an early and full response.
With best wishes
Clive Dorman
Director and Co-founder
The Children’s Project Ltd
Tanya Shaw
Joint Head, Factual and Features
SILVER RIVER
Brook House
4th Floor
2-16 Torrington Place
London WC1E 7EH
17th May 2007
Dear Tanya
BRINGING UP BABY / CLAIRE VERITY
You may recall our having email correspondence about the above show, and sending me reassurances that safeguards are in place to protect both babies and the families of those involved.
In view of Corinne Abrams feature in May 12’s Sun Newspaper, and reports that Claire Verity is involved with the show, I must formally ask for further reassurances. The following is the basis of an email I sent Hamish Mykura at C4, to which I have not received a satisfactory response, and to whom I am also writing:
Quite simply, babies exposed to anything approaching Truby King’s methods and routines are worryingly likely to suffer neglect and emotional damage that was unknown in his time.
There is a good deal of concern being expressed about this programme and I need an urgent and specific response so that I can come to a balanced and informed conclusion as to whether the show is in fact abusing infants in the name of entertainment.
Specifically:
1.Who are, or which bodies make up, the medical advice and support teams (independent experts) I have been told are advising the programme?
2.Are the parents involved to be informed that Truby King has been internationally discredited for his methods and practices, in order that that they can make an informed choice? I take exception to the comments from Silver River that parents would choose to follow these styles in any case. Some parents also smoke, take heroin and choose to neglect their children, but this does not make, as Daisy suggested, “in our view, a justifiable experiment”.
3.How do Channel Four and Silver River aim to comply with Unicef Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states:
The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child. Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects children’s rights by setting standards
in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services.
http://www.unicef.org/crc/index.htm
4. Do you (both) conform to the guidelines set out by the government – Sure Start Birth to Three Matters? http://www.surestart.gov.uk/resources/childcareworkers/birthtothreematters/ and are you aware of the recommendations in Every Child Matters – http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/napp/
I am sure that C4 and Silver River have good intentions, but it is not acceptable to claim you have no knowledge of the dangers I am alerting you to in order to persist with a programme that should not be aired in the form it is being promoted.
I look forward to an early and full response.
With best wishes
Clive Dorman
Director and Co-founder
The Children’s Project Ltd
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