CHAPTER 3 Supporting Families Around Issues of Attachment Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education Sixth Edition Janet Gonzalez-Mena Updated by: Ruby Willey-Rendon, West Texas A&M University

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-2 Attachment A lasting emotional relationship Optimally begins during gestation Foundation in infancy A two-way process Sets tone for subsequent relationship (a template)

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-3 Why is attachment our concern? Foundation for learning Brain shaped by early experience Optimal brain development occurs within secure attachments Research: secure babies explore more

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-4 How Attachment Occurs Synchrony (in sync) Attuned, responsive, mutually satisfying interactions with Parents, family members and educators

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-5 Attachment and Trust Erik Erikson ( ), developmental psychologist Psychosocial stages of development Successful resolution of dilemma Early stages are foundational to later ones

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-6 Attachment and Trust (cont.) Trust is a foundational capacity Early experiences shape our expectations in life

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-7 Attachment and Trust (cont.) Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages Stage & Approx. AgeTask Infancy 0 - 1Trust versus Mistrust

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-8 Attachment Research Informs Policy Program policies can benefit or limit attachment Secure relationships are protective for later stressors Stable and secure relationships need time to develop

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-9 Program Policies that Support Attachment Primary care Continuity of Care Small Group size (distinct from ratio) See Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC) See Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC)

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-10 Respected Elders: Pikler and Gerber Emmi Pikler ( ) Pikler Institute in Hungary Model for high quality care Magda Gerber (died 2007, age unknown) Resources for Infant Educators Both women had profound influence on high quality early care and education

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-11 Attachment Behaviors: Parent Making space in life for baby Falling in love Cultural rituals and practices (Remember, everyone is embedded in culture even if unrecognized)

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-12 Attachment Behaviors: Infant Recognizes familiar voices Can identify smell of mother Soothes and settles more easily in presence of attachment figure

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-13 Obstacles to Attachment Stress factors in life Lack of emotional / financial support Isolation Single parent Age, maturity Health concerns

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-14 Obstacles to Attachment (cont.) Temperament Understanding your own and that of baby ‘Goodness of fit’ / mismatch Developmental differences Neurological issues Developmental delay Sensory impairment (hearing, sight…)

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-15 Learning to Cope with Loss Permanent or temporary loss Permanent: death, abandonment Temporary: move to external care New settings (moves, early care) Cultural values regarding sleep choices

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-16 Attachment Research John Bowlby ( ), The Secure Base Attachment behaviors rooted in survival Mary Ainsworth ( ) Strange situation (research model) Secure attachment Insecure attachment styles

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-17 Reminder about Models A framework or lens Helps to understand Not meant as standard to measure against Cultural values often not taken into account

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-18 Judging Attachments in a Cross-Cultural Situation How does culture influence attachments? Explain how family customs influence attachments? Explain how language can influence attachments.

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-19 Implications for ECE Settings Based on what you’ve learned, make note of concerns parents might have regarding the impact of child care on forming healthy attachment. Find a talk partner and spend a few moments discussing these concerns.

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-20 Caregiver and Parent Roles CaregiverParent Similarities: Responsiveness Sensitivity Differences: Short-term Attachment Respect that the child has a life beyond child care. Optimum distance Differences: Vision for the future of the child Connect with the child Give sense of continuity Optimum closeness

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-21 Strategy Box 3.1 Review strategies Identify two familiar strategies Find a talk partner Describe how you implement these strategies

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3-22 Typical Ecological Influences for Infants _______________________ Variations?