SIR - There has been a sharp rise in the number of abused and neglected children in Bradford in the last 12 months, as reported in the T&A and commented on in the Editorial (April 9).

Mention was made of a link between these figures and the level of poverty - although the basis of working out child poverty could certainly be argued about on another day.

Bear in mind that there was much more poverty decades ago, but probably a much better acceptance of right and wrong, and of the rule of law in those days.

Throughout the article and Editorial there was no mention whatever of parents in all this. To what extent does a lack of proper parenting impact on these figures? Quite significantly, I would suspect. It is all too easy to blame the Government, when looking rather closer to home may well provide some obvious answers.

Bob Watson, Springfield Road, Baildon