Moral Maze - 11/11/2009

What is the best way to bring up a child? According to the think tank Demos the answer is clear. Children whose parents adopt a 'tough love approach' are much more likely to develop vital life than those whose parents took a more laissez-faire attitude to rules and boundaries. The research also found it was middle-class and married parents that were most likely to take the tough love approach. Demos believe this study shows the best way to bring up children and it's time to be more honest about the damage that poor parenting is causing our society. With so much at stake should parenting be a private matter or should the state take more action to support the most vulnerable children and their parents? What is the nature of good parenting, can we teach it and what should be the government's role in it all? Witnesses: Sue Cohen, director of Single Parents Action Network Nola Leach, general director of CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education) Dr Ellie Lee, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Kent Richard Reeves, director of DEMOS.