NATE National Association for Therapeutic Education

Patrons: Graham Allen MP* Rt Hon Professor Lord Alton of Liverpool KCSG KCMCO MP* Gregory Barker MP* Bishop Paul Bayes Rt Hon Richard Benyon MP* Gerry Bermingham MP* Clive Betts MP Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford MP* Tom Blenkinsop MP* David Borrow MP* Dr Peter Brand MP* Julian Brazier MP* Steve Brine MP* Helen Brinton MP* Annette Brooke MP* Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KC MP* Paul Burstow MP* Bishop Paul Butler Dr Lisa Cameron MP* Lord Carlile of Berriew KC CBE FRSA MP* Neil Carmichael MP* Jenny Chapman MP* Rt Hon Tom Clarke CBE JP KSG MP* Vernon Coaker MP* Rosie Cooper MP* Lord Cotter MP* Baroness Cox Rt Hon Lord Cryer MP* Alex Cunningham MP* Sir Tony Cunningham MP* Janet Daby MP Cynog Dafis MP* Rt Hon Lord Davies of Oldham MP* Sir Philip Davies MP* Rt Hon Sir David Davis KCB MP* Jim Dobbin MP* Rt Hon Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP* Brian Donohue MP* Rt Hon Lord Dubs MP* Mark Durkan MP* Rt Rev Lord Eames OM Bill Esterson MP Bill Etherington MP* Rt Hon Nigel Evans MP* Tim Farron MP Mark Fisher MP* Robert Flello MP* Lord Flight MP* Barbara Follett MP* Michael Gapes MP* Rt Hon Lord Garnier KC MP* Dr Ian Gibson MP* Stephen Gilbert MP* Lord Glentoran CBE DL Mary Glindon MP Sir Richard Glyn BT Thomas Graham MP* Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC MP* Andrew Gwynne MP Fabian Hamilton MP Mike Hancock CBE MP* Sir Nick Harvey MP* Lord Haskins Rt Hon Lord Dr Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE John Hemming MP* Bishop Ralph Heskett CSsR Bishop Peter Hill Wera Hobhouse MP Sharon Hodgson MP Bishop Anne Hollinghurst Professor Baroness Hollins Adam Holloway MP* Paul Holmes MP* Rt Hon Baroness Hooper CMG DSG FRSA FRGS Bishop Alan Hopes Rt Hon Lord Howarth of Newport CBE PC Rt Hon Sir George Howarth MP Rt Hon Dr Kim Howells MP* Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE PC MP* Andrew Hunter MP* Dr Brian Iddon MP* Cathy Jamieson MP* Bishop Sophie Jelley Brian Jenkins MP* Jon Owen Jones MP* Dr Lynne Jones MP* Martyn Jones MP* Fraser Kemp MP* Andy King MP* Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth PC FRSA MP* Rt Hon Sir Norman Lamb MP* Pauline Latham OBE MP* Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE Professor Lord Layard FBA Rt Hon Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE MP* John Leech MP* Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP Rt Hon Sir Oliver Letwin MP* Professor Baroness Lister of Burtesett CBE FBA FAcSS Bob Litherland MP* Elfyn Llwyd MP* Andy Love MP* Karen Lumley MP* Dr Wendy Lynas PhD Rob Marris MP* Steve McCabe MP* Ian Mearns MP* Patrick Mercer OBE MP* Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP* Bishop Roger Morris George Mudie MP* Bishop James Newcome KCVO DL Bishop David Oakley Mark Oaten MP* Lembit Opik MP* Diana Organ MP* Sandra Osborne MP* Lord Ouseley Kt Professor Lord Parekh FBA FAcSS FRSA Bob Parry MP* Rt Hon Dame Priti Patel DBE Lord Patel KT Professor Sir Denis Pereira Gray OBE FRCP FRCGP FMedSci Bishop Dr John Perumbalath Peter Pike MP* Bishop Stephen Platten FSA Chris Pond MP* Mark Prisk MP* Bishop John Pritchard John Pugh MP* Lord Rana OBE Syd Rapson BEM MP* Bishop John Rawsthorne Bishop Dr Lee Rayfield Rt Hon Lord Rees of Ludlow OM FRS HonFREng FMedSci FRAS HonFInstP Bishop Edwin Regan Lord Rennard MBE Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick MP* Bishop Tony Robinson Dan Rogerson MP* Sir Bob Russell MP* Christine Russell MP* Martin Salter MP* Adrian Sanders MP* Laura Sandys MP* Barry Sheerman MP Henry Smith MP* Peter Snape MP* Lord Storey CBE Gerry Sutcliffe MP* Lord Taverne KC Simon Thomas MP* Rt Hon Baroness Thornton Rt Hon Viscount Thurso PC MP* Sir John Timpson CBE Dr Desmond Turner MP* Dr Rudi Vis MP* Baroness Walmsley Dame Angela Watkinson DBE MP* Mark Williams MP* Roger Williams MP* Bishop Tom Williams Rt Hon Lord Willis of Knaresborough MP* ( MP* formerly Member of Parliament) (Patron during lifetime - Sir David Amess MP David Cairns MP Rt Hon Lord Chidgey MP* Baroness Greengross OBE Baroness Howe of Idlicote CBE Lord Jones of Cheltenham MP* Baroness Masham of Ilton DL Norman Mikardo Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor Lord Rea Of Eskdale MD FRCGP Archbishop Peter Smith)

59 Birdham Road Chichester PO19 8TB 07984654503 www.n-a-t-e.co.uk johnhtierney@outlook.com /24

1988 – 2024 The Conceptual Failure of State Intervention in Child Education

In 1995 the National Association for Therapeutic Education identified a serious defect in the conceptual basis for state intervention in child education. The problem originated from the legislative framework of the 1988 Education Reform Act which was inconsistent with attachment theory, a key evolutionary advance in understanding of psychology of the twentieth century. Government required children from the age of five years to be grouped according to the requirements of the National Curriculum and not in relation to the constraints of modern psychological theory. In practice this implied that infant sector class sizes were to remain too large to resource the sustained, individualised attachment relationships on which it had become known infants depend for psychological development.

At the time state policy reflected the traditional perception in the UK that ‘early years’ was from 0-5 and it was not until 2006 that the United Nations published guidance confirming that ‘early years’ is from 0-8 and that conditions for psychological development should remain in place throughout this stage. By then misinformed policy in relation to the UK school system was firmly established. In 1998 the School Standards and Framework Act confirmed a class size limit of 30 in infant schools and in 2008 the misconception that early years is from 0-5 was further reinforced by the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Since EYFS governments have consistently advanced the mistaken view that attachment theory is irrelevant in the context of the mainstream school system and has no place in infant classrooms.

In 2014 the full significance of the failure of state policy to comply with either modern psychological theory or UN guidance was brought into focus when the Sutton Trust revealed that as many as 40% of children ‘lack secure bonds with adults.’ (‘Baby Bonds’ – Sutton Trust 2014.) Whatever the exact figure, it is evident that a very large number of psychologically undeveloped children are passing through the school system each year with no assistance for their primary needs from government. The implications for adulthood are self evident and the flaw in the conceptual basis for state intervention in the school system has over the years fuelled a steadily deepening nationwide crisis of psychological health which underlies much of the social and economic dysfunction now confronting the nation.

Since before the turn of the century the National Association for Therapeutic Education has campaigned to bring the central failure of the school system described here to the attention of senior leaders. The issue is both potent and complex and it has been consistently ignored and deferred by successive governments. In consequence the deficit in child education has remained unacknowledged and unresolved at national level.

Further detail about the nature and effect of the problem described here is contained in our current annual national statement entitled ‘The Deepening Nationwide Crisis of Psychological Health – A Brief Overview.’ 

 

John Tierney Director National Association for Therapeutic Education NATE