Nanny state

Dr Mary Brown (Letters, 13 November) argues that much of the decline in parental and other adult influence on children’s experiences and attitudes can be attributed to Church and state “not taking their responsibilities seriously”, and her belief that more state involvement is needed in their lives flies in the face of the experiences of all that has progressively blighted the lives and employment prospects of our young folk over the past 60 years.

Every step along the road to the nanny state, what Dr Brown calls “a fairer society”, has served more and more to marginalise Britain’s young people from ordinary grown-up society and the tough lessons of adult life.

Given that the nanny state has largely created the problem, how can more of it possibly be the answer?

Irvine Inglis

Reston

Berwickshire