Attachment theory and social work Matt Jarvis Philip

Attachment theory 1 ● Developed by John Bowlby in the 1950 s. ● The

Attachment theory 2 Quality of attachment has important consequences for children’s development. ● Securely

Working with parents and children Assessing a child’s quality of attachment can give social

Observing caregiver–infant interaction Children are observed with their carers in a range of situations.

Improving quality of attachment Social workers and psychologists sometimes work with parents experiencing attachment

Conclusions ● The central ideas of attachment are that infants are born predisposed to

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Attachment theory 1 ● Developed by John Bowlby in the 1950 s. ● The basic idea is that infants and their carers are hardwired to interact in a way that builds a powerful two-way emotional bond This is the result of evolution. Securely attached babies are more likely to survive to adulthood. Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Attachment theory 2 Quality of attachment has important consequences for children’s development. ● Securely attached children have an internal working model of relationships that includes the idea of themselves as lovable. ● This advantages them in all kinds of relationships, including romantic ones and in their own parenting Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Working with parents and children Assessing a child’s quality of attachment can give social workers a good idea of the quality of care they have experienced. It can also form the basis of intervention by social workers and psychologists. Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Observing caregiver–infant interaction Children are observed with their carers in a range of situations. ● Anxious behaviour such as avoidance and rejection of the caregivers may signal insecure attachment and hence a possible problem in parenting. Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Improving quality of attachment Social workers and psychologists sometimes work with parents experiencing attachment difficulties. ● One approach is to observe caregivers with the baby and advise them on attachment behaviour using an earpiece. Philip Allan Publishers © 2015

Conclusions ● The central ideas of attachment are that infants are born predisposed to form strong emotional bonds to their caregivers and that the quality of this first relationship impacts on the child’s later development. ● Social workers use attachment security as a way to assess parenting capacity. ● Social workers also use attachment-based interventions to enhance the development of vulnerable babies. Philip Allan Publishers © 2015