I want to hold your hand!

The case against ‘no-touch’ policies in early childhood education

Bibliographic Data

ID22417570
AuthorsTamsin Grimmer (0000-0003-3312-6905, Norland College, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-14
Publication date2026-06-09
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEarly Years (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-5146 • E-ISSN: 1472-4421
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09575146.2026.2685573
OpenAlexW7164021547
LanguageEN
References cited54

Touch is a key element of social interactions within early childhood and forms part of a relational pedagogy. Children naturally use touch daily and research demonstrates that it is a vital component of child development. Effective educators use touch sensitively and appropriately to support children from hand-holding for safety, to high-fives for praise. However, using touch is not without challenges and in recent years there has been a resurgence of ‘no-touch’ policies in schools and settings. Through the lenses of current literature and research alongside attachment and traditional theory, this literature-based conceptual paper seeks to demonstrate how these policies go against current research and offers an evidence-informed argument to counter them. Arguing that educators have a duty of care acting in loco-parentis, incorporating sensitive and appropriate touch between educators and children in schools and settings strengthens social and emotional bonds, enhances learning and is vital within childhood and essential for human survival.

Child care · Early childhood · Early childhood education · Public policy · Children's Rights and Participation · Early Childhood Education and Development · Global Educational Policies and Reforms

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