Attachment Theory: A new look at the most relevant ideas and findings and how best to draw on them in social work practice with children and families
Part of BASW's Expert Insights Series
Delivered by Dr Sarah Foster via MS Teams
In this session we will look at what ideas from attachment theory are useful to draw on in child welfare practice. We will also look at how we can best draw on these in our practice.
The session will provide attendees with up-to-date practice relevant ideas and findings from attachment theory, as well as ideas on how to use these in children & families practice. The session will also provide attendees with opportunity to reflect on their current practice use of attachment theory, think about how they might want to use the theory in their future practice, and learn from discussion with fellow social workers.
Attachment is among the core theories for social work with children and families. Yet there remain considerable debates about what practitioners need to know about attachment, and how that knowledge should be applied in practice. Some misrepresentations of attachment theory are in circulation, including in some of the texts written for social workers, and some of the ideas and current research findings from attachment theory that are most useful for practice are little known. Some practice applications of attachment theory have been highlighted as problematic, which has led some social workers to turn away from using attachment theory, potentially leading to missed opportunities. The language used to talk about attachment also varies, and there is risk of social workers talking past each other by using the same words to mean different things.
This session will help you to find a path through the confusion, challenges, and critique surrounding use of attachment theory in child welfare practice. During this session we will look at which ideas and research findings from attachment theory are particularly relevant and useful for practice, and which are less useful. We will also reflect on appropriate ways to apply those ideas to our practice.
Social workers attending the session do not need a particular level of existing attachment theory knowledge, or to be currently using it in a particular way (or at all). The design of the session is such that all children & families social workers will be able to benefit from it: some may come away from the session with new ideas to apply to their practice, some may come away from the session with plans to change aspects of how they think about attachment in their practice, and some may come away from the session with a renewed confidence in what they already know and do in relation to using attachment theory.
Learning outcomes:-
By the end of the training, attendees will:
- Have a greater knowledge of current developments and research findings from attachment theory with particular relevance to social work practice with children & families.
- Have a greater appreciation of why some of the most commonly known aspects of attachment theory have limited relevance to social work practice with children & families.
- Be more confident at spotting and challenging claims made about children and caregivers that are based on misunderstandings of attachment theory.
- Have reflected on how they currently use attachment theory ideas in their practice, and gained further confidence in their current approach and/or ideas for some potential changes.
- Have explored challenges in the language used about attachment, and gained ideas on ways to improve clarity in how we talk about attachment.
Trainer bio:
Dr Sarah Foster is an Assistant Professor in Social Work at Northumbria University. Sarah has been teaching on pre and post qualifying social work programmes since 2014. Sarah previously worked as a Workforce Development Coordinator in a local authority children’s services department. While working at Northumbria University, and in conjunction with Professor Robbie Duschinsky from Cambridge University, Sarah has carried out a programme of research into how attachment theory is understood and used in UK child welfare practice.