1. ATTACHMENT THEORY AND THE KEY PERSON APPROACH
An introduction to the work of John Bowlby
Attachment Theory and implications for the key person approach. 1 1

2. Characteristics of Attachment
Bowlby believed that there are four characteristics of attachment:
The desire to be near the people we are attached to. ( Proximity Maintenance)
Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety when faced with fear or threat. (Safe Haven)
The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child may explore the surrounding environment. (Secure Base)
Anxiety occurs in the absence of the attachment figure.
( Separation Anxiety) 2

3. Ainsworth’s “Strange Situation” Assessment
1.Parent & child are alone in a room.
2Child explores the room without parental participation.
3 A stranger enters the room, talks to the parent and approaches the child.
4 Parent leaves the room quietly.
5 Parent returns and comforts the child. 3

4. Ainsworth’s Attachment Styles
Based on strange situation observations 3 major styles of attachment identified.
Secure Attachment.
Ambivalent- insecure attachment.
Avoidant – insecure attachment.
Main and Solomon (1986) added a fourth attachment style known as disorganised- insecure attachment. 4

5. Attachment through life
Attachment styles formed in infancy are not necessarily identical to those demonstrated in adult romantic attachment.
As time passes intervening experiences impact on adult attachment styles.
However, research indicates that patterns established in childhood have important impact on later relationships. 5

6. Internal working models
Bowlby held that the internal working models with which we are presented in childhood and adolescence persist relatively unchanged throughout life.
New individuals with whom a bond is formed will be assimilated to an already existing model.
This remains true even when there is repeated evidence that this is inappropriate. 6

7. Characteristics of Secure Attachment.
As children
Able to separate from parents .
Seeks parental comfort when frightened .
Returning parents are met with positive emotions .
Prefers parents to strangers
As adults
Have lasting trusting relationships .
Tend to have good self esteem.
Comfortable sharing feeling with partners or friends .
Seeks out social support. 7

8. Characteristics of ambivalent attachment.
As Adults
Reluctant to become close to others .
Worry that their partner does not love them.
Experience great distress when a relationship ends .
As Children
May be wary of strangers .
Becomes greatly distressed when parent leaves.
Do not appear to be comforted by returning parent . 8

9. Characteristics of avoidant attachment.
As Adults .
May have problems with intimacy .
Invest little emotion in social and romantic relationships .
Unable or unwilling to share thoughts and feelings with others.
As Children.
May avoid parents .
Does not seek much comfort or contact from parents .
Shows little or no preference between parent and stranger. 9

10. Characteristics of disorganised attachment.
At age 1:
Shows a mixture of avoidant and resistant behaviours .
May seem dazed , confused or apprehensive .
At age 6:
May take on a parental role .
Some children act as care giver towards the parent . 10

11. Trust broken by the separation must be re-established.
Separation anxiety.
Anxiety at the prospect of being separated from person believed to be necessary for one’s survival.
When care giver returns child s behaviour may demonstrate avoidance , resistance and over attachment.
Trust broken by the separation must be re-established. 11

12. Key person is some one “special” in a child’s life .
Role of key person.
Key person is some one “special” in a child’s life .
It is a professional role .
The key person is not and should not be the primary attachment figure.
The key person should work with and along side families and share information. 12

13. Key person as “secure base”
The key person should :-
Be a reliable and consistently available care giver .
Responsive to the child’s individual needs.
Provide firm and consistent boundaries.
Be able to contain the child’s anxiety . 13

14. A predictable environment where the child feels safe.
Childs environment .
There is a need for :-
A predictable environment where the child feels safe.
Consistency and familiarity.
A valuing of the maintenance of peer and sibling relational attachments . 14

15. True exploration enables creative play and learning to take place .
Play and exploration.
From the “secure base” the child , free from anxiety , can relax and explore the environment .
True exploration enables creative play and learning to take place . 15

16. Key person and transitions .
Periods of stress and regressive behaviour.
Importance of maintaining a “secure base”.
Role of key person in preparing a child for transition.
Containment of child and family anxiety at difficult times .
Importance of effective exchange of information. 16

17. Phenomenon occurs from an early as four months .
Transitional objects.
Donald Winnicott , first Psychoanalyst to draw attention to an infants intense attachment to a particular object.
This idea first presented in 1951 and later developed into a book ”Playing and reality”.
Phenomenon occurs from an early as four months .
Objects represents intermediate stage between attachment to mother and to later attachments .
Object is defence against anxiety – a comforter. 17

18. Establishing an effective key person approach.
Dealing with the real world challenges of an effective key person approach .
How do we cope with inevitable period s of absence by the key person ?
Need for a primary key person and a back up buddy when the key person is absent .
Photos can be used to support children .
Importance of acknowledging parents as the important people in the child’s life .
Importance of the sensitive but full sharing of information with families in order to develop secure and trusting three way relationships .
Opportunities should be planed for all staff to share information in order to fully support children .
Close informed observations are crucial to ensuring effective next steps planning for all children. 18

19. Providing a “ secure base” for the key person.
Caring for the carer.
Caring for ourselves-
Recognising our own attachment styles and dealing with these effectively.
Providing a “ secure base” for the key person.
In order for the key person to hold and contain children and their families support is necessary .
Supervision as the containing and holding “secure base” for the practitioner.
Creative ways of ensuring effective supervision where this is not provided .
Importance of supportive peer and team relationships for the key person. 19

20. Summary.
“ All of us , from the cradle to the grave , are happiest when life is organised as a series of excursions , long or short , from a secure base provided by our attachment figures”.
John Bowlby ; 1988
The key person has an opportunity to make a profound impact upon the nature of a child's future attachment pathway through life . 20

21. Questions ? 21