Dear Sir,

Dr Furman writes that I was ignorant at the time of the treatment of the role of the parents in all aspects of my young patient's life including his analysis. I find it impossible to understand, on the basis of the text, how Dr Furman arrives at this view. From the outset, I refer without contradiction to the referring agency's assessment that there were considerable emotional difficulties between the patient and his mother and to the arrangements made for the parents to work with a member of the referring agency's staff. In my account, I take into consideration the complex role and needs of the patient's parents and their bearing on my young patient and his analysis. Unfortunately, for unexpected reasons, the support offered to the parents in this case broke down and could not be resurrected. The course the analysis subsequently took underlines the need for parental support

Yours sincerely

November 1998