In this update, Louise Hayes interviews Dr. Duncan Gillard about the Enabling Inclusion Team’s groundbreaking approach to supporting young people at risk of school exclusion in the UK. The team’s innovative project has a 92% success rate in keeping students in mainstream education by offering holistic, flexible support that meets young people where they are. Their approach goes beyond traditional interventions, addressing the full context of each student’s life. Dr. Gillard shares how compassionate, flexible support for the whole person—working with families, schools, and communities—helps students thrive.
Louise Hayes interviews Dr Duncan Gillard as he describes his team’s groundbreaking approach to supporting young people at risk of permanent school exclusion.
Based in the UK, the Enabling Inclusion Team’s innovative project demonstrates that helping kids stay in school can be done and that true support means meeting young people exactly where they are – emotionally, physically, and contextually.
Key insights from this remarkable initiative:
✔️ 92% success rate in keeping at-risk students in mainstream education
✔️ A holistic approach that goes beyond traditional psychological interventions
✔️ Flexible support that meets young people where they are, in cafes, parks, and community spaces
✔️ Recognizing each young person’s full context, not just their student identity
The project’s core philosophy is simple yet profound: support the whole person, not just the problem.
Duncan explains the key steps so that you can begin to work in this way too. By working with all of the system, families, teachers, schools, and young people with compassion and psychological flexibility, they’re creating transformative pathways for students who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
Most importantly, they show that with the right support, understanding, and approach, every young person has the potential to thrive.
Interested in learning more about DNA-V training? Visit www.louisehayes.com.au for details.
