Building attachment through key person approaches

Research tells us then that relationships, as well as being fundamental for healthy emotional growth and development, are also crucial in terms of all aspects of children’s learning and development. It is from this basis of secure relationships between children and practitioners that issues of practice in relation to children’s cognition and learning development can be considered

 Working with Babies and Children

The relationships we build with the children in our care are often the thing that keeps us going when days get busy and the end of the week isn’t quite in sight yet. It’s the smiles from the toddling babies greeting you at the door with a grin after months of distress during handovers. It’s the pre-schooler who draws you in their picture of ‘having fun’. Establishing valuable bonds with young children is at the heart of early education and care practice. The importance of the adult’s position in the space, as a role model and safe space cannot be undervalued.

Which is why in this article we’re going to look at what attachment theory says about these relationships and why they are so important to cultivate. The value of strong attachments is evident for everyone and is widely recognised across the world. This article aims to reflect on the subtleties of attachment, and how we can work with children and their families to build bonds together. 

Where did it come from? Thinking about attachments

Attachment theory provides the base for our discussion today on the role of relationships in early education and care. The key person approach is one engrained in the pioneering theory initially emerging in the 1950s through the work of psychiatrist John Bowlby. His work also ignited others throughout the decade to explore and contribute to how we now interpret and use his initial findings today. 

The studies suggest that children are ‘pre-programmed’ for relationships, naturally and intuitively seeking close bonds with caregivers that form significant attachments within the first experiences of life. Initial research was carried out with an emphasis on the role of the mother but the impact of attachments across relationships within early education and care can be seen in interactions taking place outside of the family and home learning environment too. Professionals working directly with children may experience the ’settling in’ period to a new setting as one in which children exhibit emotional distress when leaving their primary caregiver and it might be challenging to find comfort away from them.

Attachment is a core aspect of healthy development, with a range of benefits shown to enhance quality of life and learning by establishing these relationships with others from the youngest age. Secure attachments in infancy scaffold our later relationships, with professionals who care for us out of the home, friendships and relationships later in life. They pave the way for how we relate to others and support our emotional development. 

But it’s not just about the benefits of the presence of a healthy attachment: it’s also about recognising the damaging impact that the absence can have too. Children who experience negative interactions, and whose needs are met with inconsistent or inappropriate reactions may struggle to create spaces of safety and find it challenging to regulate their emotional responses as they grow. 

For many children, their early education and care setting is a ‘home away from home’ where they spend a lot of quality time interacting with grown-ups they trust. Creating secure attachments as professionals with children in our care allows them to sustain confidence away from their primary caregivers and cope with emotional fluctuations sensitively and appropriately. 

Supporting attachment

Finding the right fit 

Each child is a different person with a unique set of traits and a melting pot of experiences, each contributing in different ways to the decisions they make, preferences they express and interests they show. Allowing children to explore in their own way around the setting is an effective way to encourage them in their decision-making through play and interacting with others – so why not do the same with their grown-ups? 

Giving children the opportunity to spend meaningful time with each significant adult in the room grants children a valuable space to socialise with everyone and make informed decisions about those they get on best with. It might be that one grown up visually represents their own experiences more or speaks the same language as them. One grown-up might have a personality that meets their interests, such as being more physically active or a calming aura. All these personal factors are intrinsic to our own behaviours and are inseparable from our professional conduct too which contributes to how we relate to the children in our care. Allow children to develop an organic relationship with all grown-ups to reflect on the relationships being built and where children might be responded to best. 

Have a secondary source of comfort

Consistency is key and having a strong relationship with professionals gives children a trusted person to rely on when they need reassurance. However, we’re only human and are not available every moment of the day. Relying on the bond with one grown up can cause problems during times of absence so it’s important to think about ways to support children in these moments by working to create secure attachments to other staff members too who can provide this reassurance too. 

Keep talking

Whilst children are individuals in their own right, their families are integral to their initial years, building foundations for sustained development and healthy lifestyles. Home learning environments are not just the springboards of learning and cognition but building strong attachments from birth upwards with primary caregivers at home sets the trajectory for establishing further relationships outside of the family too. Developing an open communication strategy to support parents and carers through the transition to out-of-home provisions consolidates trust for both adults and children who are entering into new relationships with caregivers and educators outside of the home. 

Conclusion

Attachment theory itself is a fundamental principle that is constantly circled back to when it comes to discussions of relationships and bonds within early childhood development. Bowlby’s theory itself is not short of criticism, including its gendered assumptions and its conservative nature, but nonetheless provides a valuable paradigm for thinking about the value of strong relationships for children from birth and beyond.