Attachment Aware Schools

Attachment Awareness

A secure attachment is the development of a strong, emotional bond between an infant and their caregiver. The early relationships a child experiences informs their view of themselves and the world around them. Many children who have experienced early childhood trauma or loss may struggle with a disrupted attachment and this may impact on the relationships they build in school, the behaviour they present, as well as the way in which they approach their learning. A well-informed, flexible approach to supporting these children helps them to build trusting relationships with adults and develop a sense of safety.

A range of clips and downloadable resources are available, categorised as below, to help professionals support children with Attachment Difficulties.
Visit our Attachment Aware Resources page to access these.

1. The Effect of Trauma
   Background reading and resources looking at the effect trauma can have on a child’s development and how they may present the trauma through the way they behave in school.
   
   
2. Sensory Processing
   Children who have had limited early experiences may also struggle with sensory processing delay. Having an understanding of sensory processing allows us to understand in more detail a complete picture of the needs of the child.
   
   
3. Strategies
   Links to strategies and further reading on how best to support these children within the classroom.
   
   
4. Supporting a Crisis
   When a child is in crisis it can be a very emotional time for both the child and staff involved. Reflecting post crisis is a key part of the process and using a crisis as a teaching tool for the child to get a better understanding of their own emotional state helps them understand themselves better moving forward.
   
   
5. Transition
   Transitions can be a key trigger for children with a disrupted attachment. Their feeling of safety is impacted by the change. Planning transitions carefully can support the children through transitions and give them the safety net to learn how to cope with transitions more independently in the future.
   
   
6. Guides for Parents