THERE is a furore over TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp being investigated by social services for allowing her 15-year-old son to go interrailing in Europe “Social services contacted star” (Echo, Aug 26).

I wonder, where were social services in the late 1960s and 1970s when we were 14 years old, leaving school, training to be a child nurse with four kids in tow and then we were sent by bus or train to another job.

We were earning a living working and had responsibilities so if it was good enough for my generation to be in work and sent all over the country, why is it now that children of the same age are being treated as pampered illiterates?

Parents know their children.

Some raise their children in the ways of the world.

Social services haven’t got a clue how children are brought up.

Social workers read books that neither children nor parents have parents read, but they think they are right when often they are not even close.

They should butt out and look after neglected children who cannot dress themselves, feed themselves.

They should not interfere with those raised to be independent young adults like our generation.

Even at 17 they are classed as children - at that age we were holding down important jobs.

Sheila Carrick, Durham