Children and Young People - Understanding - A View Point

Many of us were so concerned about what is happening with our children and young people that we set up the roots to fruits fund to provide interventions from the community by the community. Click here to find out more. In addition to positive action we need to understand the root causes and find interventions and solutions ourselves. So please respond and tell us what you think. Here is an external view, what is your view?

Camila Batmanghelidjh's statement Black women are "hugely responsible" for the family breakdown which fuels crime" reported on the BBC News website is controversial, one could be forgiven for asking why this individual feels she has a right to comment on issues she could not possibly understand. Annoyingly Camila comes with credentials

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camila_Batmanghelidjh. The following paragraph summarises Camila's views.

Put simply emotional detachment or emotional coldness towards the young, causes them to protect themselves. They cannot walk away from their carers but they can 'absent themselves' by shutting down their capacities to feel. The downside is that it also closes the door to a range of positive feelings. According to Alan Schore (1994) normal brain development is inhibited with the shutting down of feelings, so 'shutting down' isn't just psychological it's neurological, i.e. it causes changes in the brain. A key factor in the healthy development of brain function is the quality of care given to a child (love, security, well being, exposure to positive influences), especially prior to the age of three. These first experiences form pro social brain pathways enabling the ability to love and feel empathy. I hope you are with me thus far.
The question we should each ask ourselves is whose children are out there causing havoc in society?

Before we answer, we should not mistake buying children the latest gadgets and dressing them in the latest designer gear as emotional affection, displaying affection in this way serves to create an artificial sense of status. This 'status' is an alternative trading currency that is only recognised within the social group and there is no exchange rate between this and the currencies that build self confidence and prosperity in the rest of the world. The young person's feeling of safety and belonging comes from his or her external image. Strip away the material possessions and you are left with an emotionally under-developed human being who is not equipped to participate in the main stream economy.

Is Camilla right, is the black female responsible for not providing a healthy psychological environment for her children?