AAS in Society

This chapter reviews the findings of the research in terms of the wider relationships between AAS and society as a whole. It considers teacher views of inequalities of the impact of inequalities of power, wealth, social class, race and gender on attachment-related processes, including gender identity. It points to the continuing issues from the Covid pandemic, particularly in terms of mental health, and discusses the wider issues of power and authority which are involved. This involves a consideration of the role of ‘intermediate bodies’ such as local authorities, multi-academy trusts and voluntary organisations. The evidence suggests that, despite local efforts, local authorities have been largely marginalised as a result of neoliberal educational policies, although they continue to be referenced in government policy as a provider of last resort for vulnerable children. By contrast, the multi-academy trust (MAT)—itself a product of these policies—can play a significant role in promoting AAS, whereas schools wishing to pursue their own developments are highly vulnerable to performative interventions. This leads to a further debate over the way in which the issues of AAS continue to play out in political discourse, contrasting the views of Bailey and Ball (The coalition government, the general election and the policy ratchet in education: A reflection on the ‘ghosts’ of policy past, present. In M. Bochel, & M. Powell (Eds.), The Coalition government and social policy (pp. 127–152). Policy Press, 2016) with those of Ecclestone (Behaviour change policy agendas for ‘vulnerable’ subjectivities: The dangers of therapeutic governance and its new entrepreneurs. Journal of Education Policy, 32(1), 48–62, 2017).