Nature or Nurture?

It's one of the oldest chestnuts around and I've said before that my working hypothesis since university has been basically one of 50/50 because it conveniently means I don't have to give it much thought. Having said that, reading a bit about Frank Fields findings in his recently published report on child poverty makes it very clear that "there is overwhelming evidence that a persons life chances are most heavily predicated on their development in the first five years of life." It goes on to say that "lifes race is determined for poor children before they attend their first day at school."  They are likely to be unable to benefit sufficiently from state education and become part of a new generation of unemployed. By inference, they are more likely to cause society problems as well.

But the report makes clear the equally important point that good parenting is absolutely crucial and far more important than money on its own. I don't think probation officers would be particularly surprised by any of this and possibly it might not be surprising to a large chunk of the public either. The main concern of the report is to try and break the cycle whereby poor children become poor adults and is therefore extremely laudable, but didn't we always know this and it used to be called the 'cycle of deprivation?' 

To be honest I think this report serves to remind me exactly why I have difficulties with the stance often taken by the likes of the Daily Mail, Inspector Gadjet and the proponents of the ASBO approach to social problems. I have always been amazed at the vilification of many young people, routinely demonised for all sorts of criminal and anti-social behaviour, without taking due account as to exactly what the causation might be. Here we have a report making it clear that people aren't born a particular way, rather we all have to respond to our very different environments. Of course none of us can choose either our parents or our background. Hence the saying 'there but for the Grace of God go I.'

As a society we owe these kids from poor and neglected backgrounds some understanding about their situation when they start causing us problems. More importantly, we owe future generations of kids some much improved prospects. Of course in between these two statements, social workers, YOT workers and probation officers have to try and deal appropriately with the generation that has already been created and do some damage limitation, patching-up and general remedial work on behalf of society. I really do get the feeling that this government might actually be able to initiate some intelligent responses to the seemingly intractable social problems found in numerous parts of our communities beyond just 'ASBOing' people.

I have to admit I haven't read the report beyond the first few pages, but I notice that one proposal is for parenting education to be undertaken in schools up to GCSE level. A great idea as long as the kids aren't excluded from school of course and I do seem to remember that subject being around at my old Secondary Modern. 'Nothing new under the sun' then as the saying goes.