Attachment-based Interventions
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should understand some of the applications of attachment theory in the field of social work.
A theory of emotional and psychological development in the context of close relationships, attachment refers to the bond developed between a baby and its primary carer in the early months of life.
Styles of attachment are enduring (although not unalterable). Young children's early relationships with their carers can therefore have profound effects on their development and behaviour in later childhood and adult life.
For social workers, it is important to take into account service users' social and relationship histories, as well as their current social and relationship experiences, in order to make sense of their behaviour, particularly under conditions of stress.
In this video, David Howe gives examples of interventions that have been developed based on theory and research into attachment behaviour.
Reflective Questions
- What did you learn from David Howe's discussion of various attachment-based interventions? How might you be able to apply this understanding in your own practice as a social worker, either now or in the future?
- Where would you go to find out more about how attachment-based practice interventions - for example, in mental health or working with older service users?