joe nee september 2009 sircc why attachment matters when accommodated, away from home or away from...

Joe Nee September 2009

SIRCC

WHY ATTACHMENT MATTERS

When Accommodated, away from

home or away from family

The Glasgow Marriot Hotel

Friday 11th September 2009


Attachment Matters

TO EVERY HUMAN BEING

WHEN:

AWAY FROM HOME

AT HOME

WITH FAMILY

OR

AWAY FROM FAMILY

Square 1- To Survive/Thrive We Know Families need support Sometimes children need removed Traditionally alternatives were ;

residential, fostering, adoption Carers need – understanding, skills,

training and SUPPORT The 4 R’s are vital

Looked after children in Scotland

• 13,000 children young looked after• 1% of children in Scotland• 55% boys• 13% residential care settings• Estimates - between 20% and 50%

young homeless have been in care • 75% leave school with no qualifications


Needs

• Many children and young people who enter care “ will display various behavioural and emotional problems as a consequence of previous traumatic experiences that may include sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect and family breakdown (Macmillan and Munn 2001)


ATTACHMENT

Relationships Attunement Anxiety-Proximity-Security Communication Physical availability Psychological availability



Key Concepts-Purchasers and Providers and their Supports Professional Development Understanding attachment/trauma issues for

children and young people Understanding the stress/coping strategies of

the above children Understand the stress and coping strategies

of all carers Help children and young people to learn to

adapt to new situations through stress reduction

KEY CONCEPTS (continued)

Provision for the particular care needs of children and young people with attachment/trauma issues

Assessment of these care needs Planning realistic provision Providing appropriate options


Historically The Residential Setting: Is a group living experience Is complex Is socially demanding Is stressful Is under resourced Is not designed to cater for emotional

toddlers


Attachment Informed Provision

Attachment offers a framework which can help young people make sense of their negative experiences

Schofield argues that there is a “conceptual overlap” between resilience and attachment theory, thus building for the future (Howe, 1995;Schofield, 2001)


The Good Bits

For many young people the care experience has helped them to compensate for their early experiences

For them there was a degree of stability and security in the care experience

By chance, some attachment to one or more of their carers may have occurred


Good Bits (continued)

They were removed from a damaging family situation

They were provided with relationships, opportunities, options, education, transitions.

They were provided with the opportunity to accumulate resilience promoting factors( Numan and Blackburn, 2002)


Not so good bits

“However, for too many young people, their experience of care, far from helping them overcome the damaging emotional legacy of family problems, had rendered them unable to form the very relationships they needed so much (Stein and Carey, 1986; Downes 1992)” in Stein, 2005.



Changing Lives (2006)

Asked for a positive, research informed approach

Recognised the need for a therapeutic approach

Asked for Quality Assessment Recognised that everyone is different Recognised that most carers do their best but

need training, supervision, help and support

BUT

FOR THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ATTACHMENT AND/OR TRAUMA ISSUES WE NEED TO DO BETTER

GIVEN OUR KNOWLEDGE!Joe Nee September 2009

The Care Experience QUESTIONS

Do the children or young people that you look after and have attachment issues and experience life in an environment that;


The care experience (continued)

Considers negative behaviour to be the outcome of unmet needs

Considers that the solutions lie in developing relationships with significant others

Helps them in the process of resolving their fear of making and breaking contact, loving and being loved


The care experience (continued)

• Has attachment, relationships and resilience at it’s core

• Considers each child to be unique (genetics, parenting and early care experience)

• Strives to be an emotionally regulated, stable and secure environment

• Has emotionally regulated staff Joe Nee September 2009

Staff Aims

Constant proximity Fully accept child regardless of behaviour Understand that challenging behaviour is

underpinned by distress Be available, emotionally, psychologically

and physically Be nurturing and playful


Staff Aims (continued)

Be empathetic and curious about a child’s understanding of their world

Deal with the present Not seek to fix or rescue Share joy and pride in child’s successes Work at a relational depth which can be

emotionally and physically challenging


The four step plan - Kate Cairns Commitment-”level three learning”

(Gregory Bateson 2000) Personal support through developing

close, confiding intimate relationships Professional supervision Work together on all levels

(2002)


THE SCOTTISH SCENE

Alan Sinclair-The work Foundation Harry Burns-Chief Medical Officer John Carnochan- Violence Reduction Bill Marshall- Offending/Prisons SIRCC-Accommodated Young People Scottish Attachment in Action

Working together

Providers, Purchasers, Carers, Families, Managers, Planners

Social Workers, Teachers, Doctors, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists in all forms

National Government Local Government


Square 1- ConsiderEffectiveCare

POSITIVE FUTURES Understand the link between relationships, attachment, trauma and resilience

Reflect-Rethink-Repair-Reinforce The younger the child the better SUPPORT carers more effectively Behaviour is communication Challenging behaviour is stress related 4 R’s – Remember Relationships Rule

joe nee september 2009 sircc why attachment matters when accommodated, away from home or away from...

Documents

qualifications joe nee

familyjoe nee

emotional toddlersjoe

stress reductionjoe

children young looked

young peopleunderstanding

experience of care

carershelp children