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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
The original A-Z was my go-to as a foster parent.
Countless times I turned to it when I didn’t know what to do, and was given strategies and hope. It also helped me feel less alone, at points where I felt more alone than I thought was possible.
uk.jkp.com/products/th...
Countless times I turned to it when I didn’t know what to do, and was given strategies and hope. It also helped me feel less alone, at points where I felt more alone than I thought was possible.
uk.jkp.com/products/th...
August 8, 2025 at 9:31 AM
The original A-Z was my go-to as a foster parent.
Countless times I turned to it when I didn’t know what to do, and was given strategies and hope. It also helped me feel less alone, at points where I felt more alone than I thought was possible.
uk.jkp.com/products/th...
Countless times I turned to it when I didn’t know what to do, and was given strategies and hope. It also helped me feel less alone, at points where I felt more alone than I thought was possible.
uk.jkp.com/products/th...
The news is out... following the success of the original A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting, I’m pleased to share I’ll be writing the follow-up A-Z (for teens and tweens), alongside the brilliant Sarah Naish, Sarah Dillon, and Sair Penna.
August 8, 2025 at 9:31 AM
The news is out... following the success of the original A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting, I’m pleased to share I’ll be writing the follow-up A-Z (for teens and tweens), alongside the brilliant Sarah Naish, Sarah Dillon, and Sair Penna.
I just took an early evening walk around my village.
Lots of families live here.
(Our primary school has two classes of 30 for each year group.)
You wouldn’t know that—because none of the children who live here are outside.
Lots of families live here.
(Our primary school has two classes of 30 for each year group.)
You wouldn’t know that—because none of the children who live here are outside.
August 1, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I just took an early evening walk around my village.
Lots of families live here.
(Our primary school has two classes of 30 for each year group.)
You wouldn’t know that—because none of the children who live here are outside.
Lots of families live here.
(Our primary school has two classes of 30 for each year group.)
You wouldn’t know that—because none of the children who live here are outside.
“If we want our sons, our daughters, all young people to read, we must grant them the same rights we grant ourselves.”
July 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
“If we want our sons, our daughters, all young people to read, we must grant them the same rights we grant ourselves.”
Dr Sue Morris-King (Deputy Director for Schools and Early Education at Ofsted) tells MPs that schools with good levels of attendance think of it ‘like safeguarding’.
July 23, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Dr Sue Morris-King (Deputy Director for Schools and Early Education at Ofsted) tells MPs that schools with good levels of attendance think of it ‘like safeguarding’.
From one of the slides I use when delivering training.
We must understand the difference between accepting behaviour, and endorsing behaviour.
They are very different, yet I often see them confused with each other.
We must understand the difference between accepting behaviour, and endorsing behaviour.
They are very different, yet I often see them confused with each other.
July 23, 2025 at 6:40 AM
From one of the slides I use when delivering training.
We must understand the difference between accepting behaviour, and endorsing behaviour.
They are very different, yet I often see them confused with each other.
We must understand the difference between accepting behaviour, and endorsing behaviour.
They are very different, yet I often see them confused with each other.
I first read about this in “Humankind” by @rutgerbregman.com.
One of my all-time favourite books.
As he says in the book: “Neighbourhoods aren’t made safer by issuing parking tickets, just as you couldn’t have saved the Titanic by scrubbing the deck.”
One of my all-time favourite books.
As he says in the book: “Neighbourhoods aren’t made safer by issuing parking tickets, just as you couldn’t have saved the Titanic by scrubbing the deck.”
July 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I first read about this in “Humankind” by @rutgerbregman.com.
One of my all-time favourite books.
As he says in the book: “Neighbourhoods aren’t made safer by issuing parking tickets, just as you couldn’t have saved the Titanic by scrubbing the deck.”
One of my all-time favourite books.
As he says in the book: “Neighbourhoods aren’t made safer by issuing parking tickets, just as you couldn’t have saved the Titanic by scrubbing the deck.”
Gladwell knew this well. He called it the law of the few. He dedicated a third of his book to it.
In October 2024, Gladwell released an episode of his podcast titled:
The Tipping Point Revisited: Broken Windows.
In the episode, he said:
In October 2024, Gladwell released an episode of his podcast titled:
The Tipping Point Revisited: Broken Windows.
In the episode, he said:
July 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Gladwell knew this well. He called it the law of the few. He dedicated a third of his book to it.
In October 2024, Gladwell released an episode of his podcast titled:
The Tipping Point Revisited: Broken Windows.
In the episode, he said:
In October 2024, Gladwell released an episode of his podcast titled:
The Tipping Point Revisited: Broken Windows.
In the episode, he said:
A 2015 meta-analysis of thirty studies on broken windows theory didn’t reveal a shred of evidence to support Bratton’s methods.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177...
July 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
A 2015 meta-analysis of thirty studies on broken windows theory didn’t reveal a shred of evidence to support Bratton’s methods.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177...
In 1994, Bratton was promoted to NYC police commissioner.
His motto: “If you peed in the streets, you were going to jail.”
Crime rates plummeted. Between 1990 and 2000:
– Murder rate: ↓ 63%
– Muggings: ↓ 64%
– Car theft: ↓ 71%
They put him on the cover of TIME.
His motto: “If you peed in the streets, you were going to jail.”
Crime rates plummeted. Between 1990 and 2000:
– Murder rate: ↓ 63%
– Muggings: ↓ 64%
– Car theft: ↓ 71%
They put him on the cover of TIME.
July 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
In 1994, Bratton was promoted to NYC police commissioner.
His motto: “If you peed in the streets, you were going to jail.”
Crime rates plummeted. Between 1990 and 2000:
– Murder rate: ↓ 63%
– Muggings: ↓ 64%
– Car theft: ↓ 71%
They put him on the cover of TIME.
His motto: “If you peed in the streets, you were going to jail.”
Crime rates plummeted. Between 1990 and 2000:
– Murder rate: ↓ 63%
– Muggings: ↓ 64%
– Car theft: ↓ 71%
They put him on the cover of TIME.