The importance of bonding with with your baby, as part of their emotional development.

The sine qua non of emotional health, both as a child and adult is that of bonding to our parents, or their reliable substituent. The latest research finding by the Sutton Trust shows - 'that the bond between parent and child from birth to the age of three, is even more crucial to a child's development when poverty and other disadvantages are taken into consideration'. This can also lead to better 'social mobility' - Conor Ryan the Director of Research claims. When I was working as a social worker in the late 1970's for Westminster Social Service in St Johns Wood, I ran a weekly mother and toddler group with a health visitor for many years. The group had been originally stated by the pioneering paediatrician, child and adult psychoanalyst Dr D. W. Winnicott. The importance of  bonding was an ongoing theme for the group, especially if the bonding had been problematic from birth. Helping mother's feel less persecuted and incompetent was part of our focus. They often felt guilty and therefore depressed that 'bonding' to their baby was not so easy or natural as they had been expecting, but had to be learnt. This peer group therapy helped them get their feelings into perspective. When I look back on my time as social worker, I think this was one of the most important, preventative and creative pieces of work I undertook.