Complaints about Claire Verity's methods being shown on Channel 4

[morningpaper]

Can I ask what are the nature of the complaints that people are making?

I complained too and had exactly the same response. I've written back and asked for a reply to my query, rather than the pre-written one they are sending out en masse.
Little shits.

I'm not sure that the UK actually has signed up to the UN convention on the rights of the child.

Spink- they didn't actually respond to what my point was; that they did not mention official guidelines re: cot death and breastfeeding. I wonder how many complaints they'll get though

PregnantGrrl - yep, I wrote about the same sorts of things as you. I want a response to THOSE THINGS and will badger them til I get one. Then I will happily share it with you
It annoys me SO MUCH when they send out automatically-generated responses like this, and expect us not to notice. At least they should say "This is a standard response, please contact us if your query has not been answered.." type of thing. So RUDE.

Yes, as if a generic email is going to suffice.

yes, got the same standard response
Am going to reply and ask whether the GP and paediatrician have heard of cot death

May have already been posted as haven't had time to read all the threads but this is the addy for the production company.

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 [email protected]

I had the same email back from them. Load of rubbish...how the heck does a GP check for psychological damage at this stage?

I guess we'll see when these babies grow up whether their experiences have turned them into sociopaths.

I emailed the nspcc too.

I've just had exactly the same email back from C4.

As an aside - wasn't one of the mums using CV's methods a CHILDMINDER??? Aren't they trained in child development? And how much business do you think she'll get after this? I certainly wouldn't send my child to her.

Message withdrawn

This was the next email I had back from them...

We apologise that you feel your query was not dealt with adequately. We can
assure you that your comments have definately been logged with us and in due
course will be passed on to the producers of the show. We can only apologise
again that you feel the lack of information provided was irresponsible on
the programmes part and that there were no references to government
guidelines for parents.

We would not have the information here at Viewer Enquiries to answer your
enquiry but we would like to thank you for getting in touch with us. We do
appreciate your comments and views of our programmes.

So, looks like the people dealing with complaints actually are not involved with the programme and can't respond in any detailed way - they only have the standard response to give! that's convenient

I'd written this, by the way.
In case you're wondering... not ranting at all - I was quite proud of my restraint.

"Thanks for your prompt response.
However, I don't think you answered my query.
My primary concern was not whether the children involved in the programme
were adequately cared for; I understand that the families involved made
their own choices, and were happy with these choices. And I'd rather
assumed that there would have to be a professional team acting as
consultants.
What I felt was irresponsible was the lack of information or discussion
about how Claire Verity's (and the other mentors') methods fit (or not) with
current guidelines, including those relating to SIDS. As you mention, there
have been conflicting views in childcare for many years. It seems a shame
that a programme like this, which seemed like such a perfect opportunity to
explore the different perspectives, fails to include any reference to the
government guidelines parents are given at the present time."

Write to the sponsors, Huggies who are owned by Kimberley Clark. They will not be at all happy to hear from outraged parents (remember to tell them the damage they are doing to their brand, which is all they care about) -

www.kimberly-clark.com/ask/UKAskUs/united_kingdom.asp?country=UNITED%20KINGDOM&Label=Co rporateSite&ssl=true

I think that complaining to Ofcom would be better - Channel4 and the production company bviously don't care.

I've found Ofcom to be crap in the past - they usually take the side of the programme-maker.

Sponsors on the other hand care about the bottom line and damage to their brand - being associated with a programme where newborn babies are mistreated could be enormously damaging to the Huggies brand.

Complain to everybody I say!

This is the response that I got. They failed to answer some of my questions despite me asking them to reply to them.

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the programme BRINGING UP BABY.

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
contrast them. As our expert Harvey Marcovitch points out, "it's important
to be aware that the three methodologies [used in the programmes] were
modified somewhat in light of modern medical opinion."

All the parents involved were asked what style of child rearing interested
them, the methods were then described in general terms, highlighting the
guiding principals, each family then chose the method which most closely
related to their instinctual choice. Each family reported that they were
happy with the childcare method they chose and are still continuing with it.

We can assure you, that we take the welfare of the children in this series,
as with all programmes, very seriously. Various medical experts including a
GP and consultant paediatrician were consulted and the babies received the
usual regular health visitor checks.

If you would like to discuss issues and concerns raised on the programme
further, you can
do so via the BRINGING UP BABY forum on the Channel 4 website:

www.channel4.com /health/microsites/B/bringingupbaby/

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Gosh, daisy goodwin was abandoned by her mother AND she DOES have a child of her own

earthmummy - that is the generic response we all got sent initially, I think. The slightly more personal but just as useless one I got only when I wrote to them a second time. Think I will go the Ofcom & Huggies route, just forward them copies of the correspondence with C4... it will annoy me too much to write a whole new thing grrr

Message withdrawn

I'm not surprised I'm not the only one who has been thinking about this all day and getting angrier and angrier. I've had a similar dismissive response from Channel 4 (2 emails, both of which others have posted here). I have also emailed ofcom, the production company and the sponsors.

What really upsets me is that the programme makers were obviously warned by more than one person about the dangers of the Truby King approach but went ahead anyway. I know they are probably happy they've stirred people up. The fact that they may have caused long term damage to several babies seems not to matter.

Message withdrawn

I've written to the NSPCC as I think that they should respond to the programme. I don't really think that Channel 4 or Ofcom are likely to take any action.

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Dear NSPCC,

I was very distressed last night to see the programme Bringing Up Baby on Channel 4.

I was concerned that the advice given by childcare "expert" Claire Verity was extremely dangerous. It advised parents to put newborn babies (from the day they were born) into their own rooms at night and allow them to cry as much as they wanted to, but the parents should not attend to the baby unless it was at a pre-determined feed time. The babies were also left outside in prams, with doors to the house closed, for 3 hours at a time - so that their cries could not be heard. If they cried and their cries were heard, the parents were told to ignore them unless it was a pre-determined feed time.

This advice was not shown as being 'controversial' but was presented as being one of many valid parenting options for parents of newborn babies. I was shocked that there were no warnings about this before or after the programme.

I do not understand how this sort of behaviour towards a newborn is not neglectful or abusive. I would be grateful to know what response the NSPCC is making to this programme, or whether the NSPCC agrees that these methods are acceptable ways to treat newborn babies.

Many thanks in advance for your response.