Gareth K. Thomas ❤️🩹
@garethkthomas.bsky.social
Redefining our understanding of child trauma. Therapeutic Specialist with lived experience. Speaker & Writer. Director of Strategy @coect.bsky.social.
Nothing says “well done” like a failed mail-merge.
November 9, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Nothing says “well done” like a failed mail-merge.
I’m part of the last generation to experience childhood without a smartphone.
I learned how to “swim in the digital deep” as an adult who got to play as a kid.
Seems to work well.
I learned how to “swim in the digital deep” as an adult who got to play as a kid.
Seems to work well.
November 9, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I’m part of the last generation to experience childhood without a smartphone.
I learned how to “swim in the digital deep” as an adult who got to play as a kid.
Seems to work well.
I learned how to “swim in the digital deep” as an adult who got to play as a kid.
Seems to work well.
Last weekend, a machine cut a duplicate key for me.
This weekend, a machine processed my lunch order.
I didn’t need to speak to another human.
Is this progress?
This weekend, a machine processed my lunch order.
I didn’t need to speak to another human.
Is this progress?
November 9, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Last weekend, a machine cut a duplicate key for me.
This weekend, a machine processed my lunch order.
I didn’t need to speak to another human.
Is this progress?
This weekend, a machine processed my lunch order.
I didn’t need to speak to another human.
Is this progress?
As a care-leaver, my eldest was automatically entitled to significant benefits.
I encouraged and supported him into part time work. The ‘benefits’ he’s gained from this are immeasurable.
I encouraged and supported him into part time work. The ‘benefits’ he’s gained from this are immeasurable.
November 9, 2025 at 9:17 AM
As a care-leaver, my eldest was automatically entitled to significant benefits.
I encouraged and supported him into part time work. The ‘benefits’ he’s gained from this are immeasurable.
I encouraged and supported him into part time work. The ‘benefits’ he’s gained from this are immeasurable.
From the Child Practice Review (CPR) looking at Neil Foden, the former head teacher and "prolific sex offender who harmed many children".
Will lessons be learned?
Will lessons be learned?
November 4, 2025 at 8:29 PM
From the Child Practice Review (CPR) looking at Neil Foden, the former head teacher and "prolific sex offender who harmed many children".
Will lessons be learned?
Will lessons be learned?
For the families I work with…
Their children didn’t play when they were little.
They were too hungry, scared, terrified.
They were trying to survive.
I no longer have any doubts about the importance of play.
Their children didn’t play when they were little.
They were too hungry, scared, terrified.
They were trying to survive.
I no longer have any doubts about the importance of play.
November 2, 2025 at 10:12 AM
For the families I work with…
Their children didn’t play when they were little.
They were too hungry, scared, terrified.
They were trying to survive.
I no longer have any doubts about the importance of play.
Their children didn’t play when they were little.
They were too hungry, scared, terrified.
They were trying to survive.
I no longer have any doubts about the importance of play.
All while charging Local Authorities £85,617 per pupil, per year.
November 1, 2025 at 1:01 PM
All while charging Local Authorities £85,617 per pupil, per year.
In Wales, over a period of 18 months:
“...14 people have not been killed on Welsh roads because of 20mph and 98 will have avoided a hospital visit for a serious injury.”
Proud to live in a country where research and policy override politics.
“...14 people have not been killed on Welsh roads because of 20mph and 98 will have avoided a hospital visit for a serious injury.”
Proud to live in a country where research and policy override politics.
October 17, 2025 at 8:56 AM
In Wales, over a period of 18 months:
“...14 people have not been killed on Welsh roads because of 20mph and 98 will have avoided a hospital visit for a serious injury.”
Proud to live in a country where research and policy override politics.
“...14 people have not been killed on Welsh roads because of 20mph and 98 will have avoided a hospital visit for a serious injury.”
Proud to live in a country where research and policy override politics.
Ooooh... new book from Charlie Mackesy out this month. 😍
October 3, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Ooooh... new book from Charlie Mackesy out this month. 😍
5pm, after school, on a mild September evening.
This purpose-built facility in our village is empty.
Not a child in sight here, or on the two surrounding playing fields, or in the two nearby playgrounds.
This purpose-built facility in our village is empty.
Not a child in sight here, or on the two surrounding playing fields, or in the two nearby playgrounds.
September 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
5pm, after school, on a mild September evening.
This purpose-built facility in our village is empty.
Not a child in sight here, or on the two surrounding playing fields, or in the two nearby playgrounds.
This purpose-built facility in our village is empty.
Not a child in sight here, or on the two surrounding playing fields, or in the two nearby playgrounds.
Keep school at school. Keep home at home.
For children with trauma, this is often essential.
For children with trauma, this is often essential.
September 17, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Keep school at school. Keep home at home.
For children with trauma, this is often essential.
For children with trauma, this is often essential.
Why do schools do this?
An email goes out asking, “Are you nervous about being back in school?” on the same day they’re putting a child into a “lunchtime lockdown” for chewing gum (a well-known regulation strategy for children with trauma).
An email goes out asking, “Are you nervous about being back in school?” on the same day they’re putting a child into a “lunchtime lockdown” for chewing gum (a well-known regulation strategy for children with trauma).
September 17, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Why do schools do this?
An email goes out asking, “Are you nervous about being back in school?” on the same day they’re putting a child into a “lunchtime lockdown” for chewing gum (a well-known regulation strategy for children with trauma).
An email goes out asking, “Are you nervous about being back in school?” on the same day they’re putting a child into a “lunchtime lockdown” for chewing gum (a well-known regulation strategy for children with trauma).
From an interview with Peter Lamont, author of Radical Thinking.
September 14, 2025 at 8:01 AM
From an interview with Peter Lamont, author of Radical Thinking.
All three of my kids were shown graphic videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination yesterday.
They’re three different ages, in three different education settings (two of which have phone bans), across three local authorities.
One of my kids doesn’t have their own smartphone.
They’re three different ages, in three different education settings (two of which have phone bans), across three local authorities.
One of my kids doesn’t have their own smartphone.
September 12, 2025 at 5:51 AM
All three of my kids were shown graphic videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination yesterday.
They’re three different ages, in three different education settings (two of which have phone bans), across three local authorities.
One of my kids doesn’t have their own smartphone.
They’re three different ages, in three different education settings (two of which have phone bans), across three local authorities.
One of my kids doesn’t have their own smartphone.
UNDERSTANDING behaviour is not EXCUSING behaviour.
👉 Going below surface-level behaviour is not dismissing behaviour
👉 Being radically curious about behaviour is not accepting behaviour
👉 Accepting what drives behaviour is not endorsing behaviour
👉 Going below surface-level behaviour is not dismissing behaviour
👉 Being radically curious about behaviour is not accepting behaviour
👉 Accepting what drives behaviour is not endorsing behaviour
September 10, 2025 at 5:06 PM
UNDERSTANDING behaviour is not EXCUSING behaviour.
👉 Going below surface-level behaviour is not dismissing behaviour
👉 Being radically curious about behaviour is not accepting behaviour
👉 Accepting what drives behaviour is not endorsing behaviour
👉 Going below surface-level behaviour is not dismissing behaviour
👉 Being radically curious about behaviour is not accepting behaviour
👉 Accepting what drives behaviour is not endorsing behaviour
Therapeutic bath. 🛁 ❤️🩹
September 9, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Therapeutic bath. 🛁 ❤️🩹
As our kids return to school, I’m thinking of all those wonderful security blankets in the form of humans who work tirelessly with our kids.
Children with trauma want a better life.
That starts with never feeling that scared again.
Children with trauma want a better life.
That starts with never feeling that scared again.
September 8, 2025 at 7:09 AM
As our kids return to school, I’m thinking of all those wonderful security blankets in the form of humans who work tirelessly with our kids.
Children with trauma want a better life.
That starts with never feeling that scared again.
Children with trauma want a better life.
That starts with never feeling that scared again.
Is this sustainable?
From Lana Hempsall in The Spectator.
From Lana Hempsall in The Spectator.
September 7, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Is this sustainable?
From Lana Hempsall in The Spectator.
From Lana Hempsall in The Spectator.
“A more substantial factor for me was the fact that staff and leaders said they felt safer and better trained,” [Bennett] said.
September 6, 2025 at 8:23 AM
“A more substantial factor for me was the fact that staff and leaders said they felt safer and better trained,” [Bennett] said.
Fostering doesn’t have a recruitment crisis.
It has a retention crisis.
From Mary Wakefield in @thespectator1828.bsky.social.
It has a retention crisis.
From Mary Wakefield in @thespectator1828.bsky.social.
September 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Fostering doesn’t have a recruitment crisis.
It has a retention crisis.
From Mary Wakefield in @thespectator1828.bsky.social.
It has a retention crisis.
From Mary Wakefield in @thespectator1828.bsky.social.
We don’t have a behaviour crisis.
We have an understanding children crisis.
We have an understanding children crisis.
September 3, 2025 at 7:31 AM
We don’t have a behaviour crisis.
We have an understanding children crisis.
We have an understanding children crisis.
The job of adults isn’t just keeping children safe.
It’s helping them feel safe.
It’s helping them feel safe.
September 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
The job of adults isn’t just keeping children safe.
It’s helping them feel safe.
It’s helping them feel safe.
My son recently finished secondary school.
He was there for 5 years.
I never met any of his teachers.
He was there for 5 years.
I never met any of his teachers.
August 12, 2025 at 7:34 PM
My son recently finished secondary school.
He was there for 5 years.
I never met any of his teachers.
He was there for 5 years.
I never met any of his teachers.
We need an education and social care system that *knows* children.
Knows them on an individual basis. Knows their family. Knows their story.
We are moving further away from that with each passing day.
Knows them on an individual basis. Knows their family. Knows their story.
We are moving further away from that with each passing day.
August 12, 2025 at 9:36 AM
We need an education and social care system that *knows* children.
Knows them on an individual basis. Knows their family. Knows their story.
We are moving further away from that with each passing day.
Knows them on an individual basis. Knows their family. Knows their story.
We are moving further away from that with each passing day.
Can we normalise kids not taking mobile phones into their bedrooms?
We have this as a house rule (even when friends come over), and we’re very much in the minority.
We have this as a house rule (even when friends come over), and we’re very much in the minority.
August 11, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Can we normalise kids not taking mobile phones into their bedrooms?
We have this as a house rule (even when friends come over), and we’re very much in the minority.
We have this as a house rule (even when friends come over), and we’re very much in the minority.