‘A must read for every Scottish citizen’
- Jackie Brock, Chief Executive, Children in Scotland

Scotland languishes in the second division of child well-being. One child in every four is judged to be ‘vulnerable’ when they enter primary school. How can this be in a nation where politicians’ aim is ‘to make Scotland the best place in the world to bring up children’?

In this powerful, sometimes shocking, book Alan Sinclair reveals the harm inflicted on so many of our youngest, most defenceless children through a toxic mix of distracted parenting, poor health and a society focused on dealing with consequences rather than causes.

He explores the latest science which lays bare the traumas that babies can suffer from their parents’ behaviours and habits, even while still in the womb. And he starkly explains why we lag so far behind most of our European neighbours when it comes to loving young children.

But Sinclair also sets out a routemap to start putting children first by helping us all to become better parents.

‘Understand this message and we have grounds for optimism’
- Matt Forde, Head of NSPCC Scotland

‘Alan Sinclair does Scotland a great service in writing this book’
- Professor John Frank, Director, Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy

THE AUTHOR
Alan Sinclair created the Glasgow-based Wise Group, the UK’s first social enterprise dedicated to providing jobs for long-term unemployed people.