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(UNITED KINGOM, 11th January 2008) - The NSPCC is convening a group of child experts to advise TV production companies on how to look after the safety and wellbeing of infants and children in parenting programmes.
The NSPCC will write to professional nursing and medical associations this week asking them to help set up an expert advisory group. The Society has become concerned at how the rapid growth in reality parenting TV is exposing young children to potential harm. Recent programmes have shown the promotion of limited cuddling, infants left to cry alone for long periods, babies being subjected to strict, inflexible routines regardless of their distress, and a complete disregard to the wealth of research that shows the importance of early, sensitive, care for health and well-being.
The NSPCC says that current guidance, which supports the existing Ofcom Broadcasting Code rules that the broadcasters must comply with, does not go far enough. Even though there has been some improvement they are still not sufficiently effective in safeguarding children's welfare.
The move comes as BBC3 is to broadcast a second series of The Baby Borrowers tomorrow night (Monday) in which babies and young children are shown as being left with inexperienced teenagers. The first series was condemned as irresponsible by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board where filming took place for not only failing to provide evidence of a risk assessment and CRB checks for those involved, but also for the way both the babies and teenagers were placed in stressful situations designed to provoke for the purpose of entertainment.
Director and chief executive of the NSPCC, Dame Mary Marsh says: "We are increasingly worried that babies and young children are being put in unsuitable and potentially harmful experimental situations for entertainment purposes. The Baby Borrowers, where babies appear to be left in the care of inexperienced, teenage strangers for long periods of time, appears to take little account of a baby's need for consistent love, warmth and communication from their parents. This is essential so babies form close bonds with their carers and develop a sense of trust and security, which gives a firm foundation for their growing sense of identity and self-esteem."
The new series follows the row in autumn over Channel 4's parenting series Bringing Up Baby, in which parents were advised to ignore their baby's cries, resist cuddling their baby and told that eye contact while feeding was giving in to manipulation.
The programme generated a large number of calls to the NSPCC from the public demanding action be taken to protect infants and young children appearing in these programmes. As a result of the outdated and potentially harmful methods of baby care shown in the programme, the society said that in the future programme makers must be able to assure both broadcasters and the public they have adequate policies in place to safeguard the welfare of any children involved in filming.
Dame Mary continued: "A body of professionals with knowledge and specialist expertise in aspects of child development is needed to advise on standards for safe, reliable parenting programmes. The group would advise on the latest developments in childcare advice and psychology ensuring that children's rights and developmental needs are the utmost priority at all times. We need responsible broadcasting that is not at the expense of children's wellbeing.
"While the NSPCC can see the benefit of using television to show how difficult parenting can be, we consider that there are ways of achieving this without damaging children's emotional wellbeing. We urge programme makers in the future to act responsibly and use expert advice to ensure the children in their programmes are protected from harm."