1. Towards the Nurturing City
An introduction to attachment theory and the nurturing principles
Jenni Kerr (Nurture Development Officer)
Attachment and nurture 2018

2. Attachment and nurture 2018
A young child needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally
A key theorist was John Bowlby
Attachment and nurture 2018

3. The attachment process
Anxiety attachment comfort reduction
behaviours from in anxiety
caregiver
internal working model of the relationship
Attachment and nurture 2018

4. Cycle of Secure Attachment
2. Expresses need
3. Need is satisfied, met consistently;
Interventions, responses
successful in meeting needs
4. Baby Feels Relaxed
1. Baby feels a need or
displeasure
Necessary Input:
(a) Eye Contact
(b) Touch
(c) Movement
(d) Smiles
Trust
Security
Attachment
Attachment and nurture 2018

5. Attachment and nurture 2018
Secure Attachments Take Place When:
The adult is readily available, sensitive to the child’s signals and responsive when the child seeks protection or comfort
The adult is consistent, reliable and predictable and provides a secure base for the child to explore from and return to.
The child is confident that their parent/carer will be available, responsive and helpful should s/he encounter adverse or frightening situations.
Attachment and nurture 2018

6. Attachment and nurture 2018
Securely attached children/YP …
Are better able to learn
Children with a positive experience of attachment will be able to make new attachments more readily (e.g. to their teachers)
Will be ready to seek help when experiencing difficulties (academic or social)
Are willing to share the attention of adults with their peers
Attachment and nurture 2018

7. Cycle of Insecure Attachment
2. Expresses need
3. Need is neither satisfied nor met consistently;
Interventions, responses not
successful in meeting needs
4. Baby feels anxious
Restless
Fearful
1. Baby feels a need or
displeasure
Mistrust
Insecure
Unattached
Attachment and nurture 2018

8. Attachment and nurture 2018
Risk Factors for Poor Attachment
Pre-birth stress
Alcohol and/or drug taking during pregnancy
Parental illness before/after birth
Premature
Medical complications during growth in womb
Bereavements in family
Neglect
Emotional, sexual, physical abuse
Domestic violence
Home instability
Poverty
Mental health difficulties in care givers
Multiple home and school placements during the early years
These are just indicators – a child can have experienced one or some of these but still have experience of secure attachments
Pick out a couple to comment on – eg domestic violence Women’s Aid report that 1 in 4 women with experience domestic violence and Hughes (92) reported that 90% of children are in the same room or the room next during attacks on their mothers
Attachment and nurture 2018

9. When The Attachment Process Is Insecure:
Defences are learnt which can give protection from disappointment
The child becomes uncertain that their needs will be met
Exploration is not safe (the child has to look after themselves without knowing the risks)
Learning is risky as the child has not learnt through appropriate risk taking
Internal models of how adults are: they are unpredictable, unreliable, not interested
Internal models of themselves: they are worthless, uninteresting, unlovable
Defences are learnt which can give protection from disappointment – we will go on to discuss what his can look like in the playroom and what you can do
Exploration is not safe (the child has to look after themselves without knowing the risks)
Learning is risky as the child has not learnt through appropriate risk taking – using a nurturing appraoch helps to create a safe base in class
Internal models of themselves: they are worthless, uninteresting, unlovable – a nurturing approach helps to build positive relationships and build self esteem and resilience
Attachment and nurture 2018

10. What attachment difficulty can look like
Find it hard to maintain pupil-staff boundaries
Overly dependent on the teacher
Feel rejected easily
Never enough positive attention (things are not fair!)
Leads to difficulty with peer relations
Rip work before it gets marked or looked at
Appear hyper vigilant
Explode into a temper with no apparent trigger
Can be abusive to staff and pupils
Behaviour a result of fear and anxiety possibly linked to early trauma
They expect the worst to happen
Attachment and nurture 2018

11. Attachment and nurture 2018
Nurturing Principles
1 Children and young people’s learning is understood developmentally
2. The environment offers a safe base
3. The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
4. Language is a vital means of communication
5. All behaviour is communication
6. The importance of transition in young people’s lives
Nurturing approaches are based on the 6 nurturing principles. Research has shown that the use of these principles throughout a school has a positive impact on behaviour and learning
Attachment and nurture 2018

12. 1. Children and young people’s learning is understood developmentally
Staff have training about attachment and brain development
There is a belief that relationships can bring about meaningful change
Modelling of nurturing relationships with appropriate communication style by all staff
Understanding of where the young person is developmentally
- differentiated opportunities for social and emotional aspects of learning
Think stage not age
Avoid “should” assumptions
Eg play, messy play, sensory acitivtiesThink young- child social and emotional age, not chronological
Avoid “should” assumptions
Think about short term versus long term
Know the background of a young person and what part it has played- experience, opportunity, trauma etc
Check expectations of ourselves and others
Be aware of the factors that support a child to be resilient
“second chance learning” through attachment figures
Attachment and nurture 2018

13. Attachment and nurture 2018
Attachment and brain development
All infants experience stress but this
is regulated by an attachment figure
Young children who are neglected or abused develop pathways that are related to stress and fear rather than trust, soothing or pleasure
The neuronal pathways that are most used are those associated with stress, alarm and fear.
If an infant’s experience is predominantly
of neglect or fear then they will be in a state of
unregulated stress. This impacts on learning.
Attachment and nurture 2018

14. 2. The envionment offers a safe base
Basic needs are met
Welcoming and safe environment for young people, staff, parents/carers and visitors
Clear, fair boundaries delivered sensitively – clear emphasis on keeping the young person safe
De-escalation strategies are used with staff being attuned to the young persons state
Good provision of safe spaces, inside and out, to support emotional regulation and feelings of safety and security
Additional structure and supervision at key times for young people
Maintaining and promoting key nurturing relationships, particularly for vulnerable young people
Safety 1st - research based on children with PTSD shows that interventions to build self esteem and resilience will only have an impact of the child feels safe and secure
De-escalation – positive use of body language, minimal use of language, appropriate use on tone and volume (you are shouting!) avoiding escalation traps
Controlled emotional atmosphere
Consistent over time and between adults
Clear parameters, boundaries
Okay to fail
Options for praise
De-escalation
Understanding of need to get back to baseline
Offering a way out
Understanding where a young person is on arousal continuum
Staff are aware of the importance of attachment in development
The practice of staff will reflect the belief that nurturing relationships bring about meaningful change
Nurturing schools understand where children and young people are developmentally, and offer differentiated opportunities for social and emotional learning of specific skills
Nurturing relationships are modelled by staff and respectful, consistent and positive interactions are clearly identified as the appropriate communication style within the establishment
Expectations are reviewed in the light of what we know about an individual’s development and appropriately challenging targets are set for progress and shared with all staff who work with the child/ young person
Available adults
Attachment and nurture 2018

15. Attachment and nurture 2018
Creating a safe place
Controlled emotional atmosphere
Clear playroom and establishment rules
Visual timetable
Its ok to make mistakes
Options for praise
De-escalation not confrontation
- Offering a way out
Available adults
Think about how to start the day to help young people feel safe coming into the playroom
Attachment and nurture 2018

16. 3. The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
Praise, reinforcement and feedback for all
– learning buddies, formative assessment, alternatives to
verbal praise
Rewarding progress and effort
Identification and sharing of personal achievements of young people
Opportunities for social and emotional development – based on developmental level
Support to challenge negative beliefs about themselves to build resilience
There is a balance of supporting self esteem and building resilience
Use ‘struggle’ examples
Resilience matrix
Attachment and nurture 2018

17. 4. Language as a vital means of communication
Staff and children work with a model of nurturing relationships
- respectful, consistent and positive interactions
Young people are helped to understand and express their feelings – opportunity for extended conversation s if needed
Staff model expected behaviours and young people are able to develop these – listening, showing empathy, caring and having positive regard
The following is communicated to young people:
You are welcome here You are safe here
You belong here I will help you understand
Your feelings are okay with me I like you
You can explore and learn
Positive language tip sheet – handout to take away with examples
Attachment and nurture 2018

18. 5. All behaviour is communication
Staff are attentive to the relevance of young people’s non verbal language
Understanding what language is consistent with de-escalation
Understanding of the function of negative behaviour
- good systems for exploring the functions of more challenging behaviours
Restorative approaches used
Staff understand that their behaviour is communication too!
Children can be over sensitive to tone of voice when anxious– you are shouting at me
Attachment and nurture 2018

19. Attachment and nurture 2018
Remember a young person will have already gaged your mood through body language
Attachment and nurture 2018

20. 6. The importance of transition
Awareness of transitions and disruptions in the lives of young people in the planning for meeting needs
Transition points well managed with multiagency and family involvement where appropriate
Clear welcome routines at transition points
Opportunities to touch base with staff early in the day
Changes to routines are discussed with young people and there is support to cope when required
Attachment and nurture 2018

21. Towards the Nurturing City
A nurturing school is a place where our young people and children can say -
“We are listened to”
“We know we are valued”
“We feel we belong”
Attachment and nurture 2018