Thought you might like to know what we decided in NCT about all this. We
don't actually have any rules about babies at conferences - goodness me,
why can't we just leave it up to the common sense and good manners of
mothers - but at tutorials and workshops where participants are actively
taking part in order to train for the organisation, we do ask that mothers
bring a carer with them for babies older than 'babes in arms', or they use
the creche.

This is for that *individual mother's sake* - some of our tutorials are
quite intensive, and need mothers to focus  strongly on some quite 'heavy'
stuff, either of their own or other participants. You cannot do this and
play with a toddler or worry about the noise and inquisitiveness  of the
older baby distracting other participants, and it is just not fair for a
two or three year old to have to stay still and quiet.

I have had to ask tutees not to bring their toddlers to tutorials, but I
don't make a big thing of it.

But for conferences and seminars - it's just lovely to have babies and
toddlers there! Far from 'allowing' it, we should embrace it and encourage
it!

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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