1. 1 Sarah Williams, Educational Psychologist 26 th October 2009 The Importance of Nurturing Relationships

2. 2 Outline of Today’s workshop What is a ‘nurturing relationship’… Introduction to Attachment Theory The development of Secure Attachment What can go wrong and why? Attachment, Trauma and Loss What can schools do to promote nuturing relationships

3. What do Children and Young People need for Healthy Development? What to we already know?……

4. 4 What do children and young people need for healthy development? SecurityNurturingTrustingRoutine Permission to express themselvesGuidanceRules Positive Role ModelsGood Self Esteem Peers PredictabilityStimulationProtectionFriends FunInteractionPlayEmpathyWarmth ContinuityBoundariesFamiliesContinuity

5. 5 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

6. The Secure Attachment Process Attachment in Practice (DVD)

7. 7 Attachment – What is it? A special kind of bond or tie which is formed between a baby and his/ her primary carer(s). The person that an infant bonds to in this way is known as an “Attachment Figure”, usually, but not always, the biological parent (mother) or parents.

8. 8 Healthy Attachment Cycle

9. 9 Internal Working Model Children who have warm, satisfying early relationships are more likely to have a positive sense of self and more likely to make close and lasting relationships with others. Main & Cassidy 1988

10. 10 Secure Attachment Reciprocity Containment Security Effective attunement Solid foundation for Learning & Development Facilitates self-esteem & positive relationships with others Giving & receiving empathy Resilience in coping with distressing situations

11. What can go wrong and why?

12. 12 What Can Go Wrong and Why? Parent and Child Predisposing Factors Overt parental conflict/ domestic violence Family Breakdown Inconsistent discipline between parents Hostile and rejecting relationships Abuse – physical, sexual or emotional Neglect Parental criminality, substance misuse (drugs, alcohol) Mental Illness in the Family Post natal depression Child with ASN e.g. autism

13. 13 Trauma and Loss Separation from primary caregiver Changes in Primary caregiver Frequent Moves or placements Traumatic experiences e.g.bereavement Maternal depression Birth Trauma Maternal Addiction Divorce, separation Lack of attunment between mother/ child Young inexperienced mother with poor parenting skills

14. 14 Trauma Psychological trauma leading to mental disorder is defined as: “An event which is, or is realistically perceived to be, threatening to the life or personal integrity of self or others” And “ – the reaction is one of fear, helplessness or horror”

15. 15 Recovery from Traumatic Stress Most children, most of the time, recover spontaneously from traumatic stress. For them to do so 3 conditions must be met: Safety Able to express what has happened to them Be part of a secure social network with well-formed attachment relationships

16. 16 Disturbed Attachment Cycle

17. 17 Insecure Attachment in Children/ Young People These children may have difficulties with: Interacting with the environment Regulating stress and impulse adequately Engaging with others and their environment Experiencing empathy Expressing emotions Establishing trust-based relationships Making adjustments about the trustworthiness of others Distinguishing between types and degrees of relationships Forming close and intimate relationships.

18. 18 What can we do in school to promote Secure Attachment? The Qualities of the Skilled Helper School as a Safe Base

19. 19 Intervention by Teachers “The teacher perception of the pupil shapes and mediates the contact between them and profoundly affects the teacher’s efforts to engage and motivate the pupil” (Libber 1989) “Both pupil and teacher bring to the learning situation experiences from the past and expectations that are both helpful and destructive, derived from a history of experiences and relationships of which neither might be consciously aware” (Wittenberg et al., 1983)

20. 20 Understanding Attachment – Offering a Secure Base “Dependency is the pre-condition for independence …a measure of relative dependency can thus be helpful for learning” (Greenhalgh, 1994)

21. 21 Characteristics of a Key Person– Additional Attachment Figure Able to form and maintain a supportive and friendly relationship with child/young person Continuity of relationship (but not over dependence) Emotionally and physically available Sensitive/ responsive to child/ young person’s needs Empathetic Able to provide nurture and structure Able to contain and regulate emotional states (own and child/young person) Robust and resilient Calm Tenacious Resourceful and adaptable

22. 22 Teachers and Resilience “Human relationships are the heart of schooling. The interactions that take place between students and teachers and among students are more central to student success than any method of teaching literacy, science or maths. When powerful relationships are established between teachers and students, these relationships frequently can transcend economic and social disadvantages. (Cummins 1996)

23. 23 TASK Think of a person in school who made a positive impact on you. Share your memory

24. 24 Characteristics of School as a Secure Base” Respect regardless of skills/difficulties For young people: A safe adequately supervised building Sensitivity to what is being communicated through behaviour Routines Fast responses to absence Consistent rules and expectations Familiar long term relationships Modelling of good relationships from the adults Informed reflection about incidents A fair system of disciplinary procedures

25. 25 Characteristics of School as a Secure Base” For staff: Strong leadership that listens to staff and can be relied on for consistent & available support Respect for the physical comfort of staff A capacity to reflect on difficulties rather than react Mutual support and collaboration A common language and framework for understanding pupil behaviour A regular forum for reviewing difficulties in a reliable supportive group

26. 26 School as a Secure Base Promoting a sense in child/ young person that they have relationship(s) with significant people available to them and have a supportive environment. Interventions mirror the functions of a secure attachment relationship that acts to reduce anxiety and to promote healthy exploration and learning in the child/ young person at every stage of their development. Attachment to a person who values the young person for his/ her intrinsic qualities will facilitate the development of good self esteem. The young person who has a basic sense of security is mpore likely to feel that they can attempt new tasks and explore the environment in the search for mastery and later incorporate these positive experiences in to confident self- identity

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