Appreciating Residential Child Care Workers as Attachment makers changes everything
Residential Child Care Workers are Attachment makers.
Children are Attachment takers.
Knowing this we need to ensure we ‘make’ so children can ‘take’.
This is a root understanding of what we are aiming for in recruitment. We need to work with people who can
- make relationships – can provide for a child that all important unbroken feeling connection that is empathy;
- are resourceful – endlessly creative;
- are resilient – possess stickability and emotional stamina, who can sustain themselves in a situation of adversity;
- are reflective, in seeing beyond behind and before behaviour.
It is much misunderstood that Attachment comes from the communication and interaction from the grown-up to and with the child. Continuity of care giving is all important. Establishing a secure attachment is essential. It is the primary task, that which cannot be compromised. It takes time.
