The Web of Evil

Lord Jenkin of Roding: Everyone knows that dogs always see their own reflection in glass. We have all had experience of that.

Lord Northbourne: Visualise the situation. For nine months a child grows up in the almost total security of his mother’s womb. The relationship with his mother is secure and satisfying—unless of course, the mother is subject to domestic violence or there are drugs in her bloodstream. It is a hugely secure environment. Then, suddenly, there is the trauma of birth, and the child finds itself launched into a strange and frightening world. Research shows that at this stage a close and loving attachment to the mother is a key factor in the baby’s well-being. If the baby also becomes gradually attached to another one or two adults, that is all to the good. It is generally recognised that a stable long-term attachment to suitable adults is enormously important for every child during the whole period that they are growing up.