Alan Bainbridge is a doctor of clinical science and previously taught in secondary schools for almost twenty years before moving into higher education, where he is a senior lecturer in education. In recent years, he has become more convinced of the value of using psychoanalytic ideas and language to explore educational settings. His interests are in the application of psychoanalytic thought and practices to education in its widest sense. Alan's recent research has focused on early intervention mental health programmes and the career pathways of education professionals. He has written chapters