About the author

"I believe that it simply isn't possible to over-estimate the value of nurture"

Audrey Willis spent 24 years working within families in the field of child protection: the first ten years with Social Services and a further 14 years as an independent consultant.   Armed with her toy box she developed individual and creative ways of working investigatively and therapeutically with children of all ages. She was a frequent witness in child care proceedings and family courts, representing the interests of the child.

"The most precious - the most important thing that we can offer parents is enough support and encouragement to help THEM to get off to a good start so that it has a knock-on effect on their child"

Audrey retired in 1999 to write and promote the Small Talk Collection and to talk about the importance of support for families during the early years of childhood.

"A baby is a sociable being who thrives on a balanced blend of sleep, physical care, communication, touch and stimulation. He needs to have his expectations met and to find that, when they are met, it is a rewarding and satisfying business. He needs hugs, cuddles and love"

The Small Talk Collection is a series of unusual 'nursery' rhymes. Audrey was thinking about those frustrating and exhausting times between 0 and 5 when everything seems to be going wrong and ....

"So I shut my eyes and became that baby who just screams and screams at 3 o'clock in the morning and doesn't seem to respond to any sort of comforting ... or that small person who has wound himself so deeply into a tantrum that he can't find a way out ... and I talked to my parents about our interwoven and sometimes conflicting emotions at some of these most challenging and sensitive times in the early years"

Audrey has been married for 49 years: she has three children and eight grandchildren.