Human beings are wired for connection. We all need strong support networks around us and a family or tribe of voluntary kin to sustain us. The relationships in our lives are central to our identity as human beings and serve important life functions, the most important of which is providing a sense of belonging.
Decades of scientific research has shown us that the single most important thing children need to grow up well is the love and attention they receive from the secure attachment to the adults in their lives. Children are not raised by governments, services or institutions. They are raised by people, by families and by communities. It is essential that we have systems in place that put families and communities in the driving seat, recognising them as the experts in their own lives.