Several common threads run through the chapters in this book, highlighting core aspects of the work of staff in these settings: • A strong sense of commitment to working with and for young people from marginalised backgrounds. • Validation of the relational and emotional nature of education, as a fundamentally people-centred enterprise. • The importance of explicit attention to critical reflection on staff members’ own positionality, assumptions and identity. • Collegiality as a crucially affirming part of school culture for staff. These elements are pertinent to educational settings everywhere. The chapters in this book serve as a reminder of what really ‘counts’ for our young people and their schooling. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of .