AS disruptive children hit the headlines and various pundits analyse the situation and suggest remedies, a group of Bolton parents is determined to tackle the problem locally.

Nicola Pearcey, a founder of the Children's Opportunity Group, which helps children under five with disabilities, wants to start a self-help group. She describes the problem as "massive" and says that many parents are desperate.

Our article tonight graphically illustrates how family life can be destroyed by disruptive children. The parents who are featured have obviously tried long and hard to control their children.

It is to their credit that they are prepared to talk about their problems and try to tackle these themselves rather than demanding help from the authorities. They want to confront the issue and discover the extent of the problem in Bolton.

We applaud the parents who are taking this initiative. Nicola Pearcey makes the pertinent point that children are getting excluded from nurseries. But if some solid foundations could be achieved before the age of five, the big problems may not arise.

That makes sense. We wish this self-help group well.

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