ARC - Chair Update - April 2026

ARC Chairs Comments April 2026

I look back on the establishment of the Attachment Research Community in 2017, and the reasons the group of founder trustees and partners felt so strongly about the need to support ALL our schools to become more inclusive by being trauma informed and attachment aware. The importance of that journey continues to grow, and most heartening is to see the growing connectivity of approaches, processes and legislation across the ‘system’ supporting our children and young people, their educational settings and the key adults in their lives.

At a national level, it was a privilege to represent ARC at the APPG on Inclusion and Nurture in Education roundtable hosted by Sarah Hall MP at Westminster. The focus on the White Paper enabled the very informed discussions to really interrogated how to translate this ‘theory into practice’. These confirmed the reflections that whilst there may not be a consistent approach across all settings, a national framework of principles that allow local interpretation and application will best help individuals to develop their inclusive practices to reflect their context and where they are on their ‘journey’.

In a similar vein, ARC are able to support the focus by the Ministry Of Justice –in their work on ‘Safeguarding Children In Care From Criminalisation’. When you reflect upon statistics that show 52% of care-experienced young people become included in the criminal justice system, there is certainly much for us all to do. This strand of work is engaging with over 50 professionals/organisations who work alongside this very vulnerable group. This is a crucial piece of work that is looking to revise the national protocols and, as a result, significantly reduce the number of children and young people in care being criminalised. In short, we all have a lot to do in order to have a positive impact and it is important for all professionals to review carefully how they are encouraging a sense of belonging, positive self-worth and enhanced opportunities for this very important group.

The third strategic work involving ARC provides focusses on the documentation around recent Government papers. I have been delighted to be able to contribute to the multi-organisation work on responding to the White Paper convened by Arti Sharma CEO of Nurture UK. This has allowed a comprehensive group of professionals to formulate a very informed and considered response. Similarly, the ARC Research/HE group are finalising their new draft of advice around ITT to be shared later this year. A third national engagement of ARC is with the NEU’s Arts & Minds Campaign. This is central to helping the sense of belonging, not to mention life and employment skills, of all of our children – including our most vulnerable.

I was pleased to share a stage at EdCity in London, with Jamie Rogers from The Difference, to discuss with delegates the importance of Transition and how being more trauma aware helps more effective practice.

ARC continues to help provide a fosus work across the wider ‘community’. There has been focussed work on developing regional frameworks within a number of areas including the South West. It is also always a privilege to be part of local conferences, so I was delighted to be present at the Nottinghamshire Virtual School conference this month.

The ARC phase networks are certainly have a very positive impact with ARC members, and certainly complement the local offer of Virtual Schools/Local Authorities.

So, in summary, I am increasingly ‘warmed’ and encouraged, that the majority of professionals supporting children and young people have an increasing focus on inclusion by identifying, understanding and meeting the needs of all.

Go Back