About
The name CaTE stands for
Children and The Elements.
CaTE Consultancy was established in 2008 by Harry Harbottle in recognition that children’s development continued to be seriously affected by lack of contact with things natural coupled with a related reduction in sensory stimulation. Harry felt his weight could be added to those trying to redress these imbalances.
The work of CaTE Consultancy is based on the following basic tenets:
- Huge benefit to health wellbeing and development through contact with nature
- ‘Playing together’ – using play as a way of including all children
- Encouraging intergenerational activity
- ‘As much play value as possible, as much safety as necessary’ (Julian Richter, 1989)
- Engaging the senses
- For children, playing is being
Some of these are based on children’s rights as enshrined in Article 31 of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the Scottish Government, that includes the right to play, to participate, to health, education and the rights of disabled children.
“You can’t suddenly divorce mankind from their immemorial contacts and shut them up in cities without doing them some kind of violence.”
Neil Gunn: The Lost Chart. 1949