OFFERING INTENSIVE PARENT SUPPORT programs within an early childhood setting recognises that early childhood educators are uniquely placed to form highly supportive and ongoing relationships with children and their families as part of their everyday work. This feature of early childhood programs can be utilised to include educators as partners in interventions with families where there are disruptions to the parent-child attachment relationship. The Through the Looking Glass project has been operating in early childhood settings since 2005 with positive outcomes for both families and children. The project is located in an early childhood setting in which a primary caregiving system is established so that each child is allocated an educator as their primary caregiver, who takes the key role and interest in the child's day-to-day experience thereby becoming the ‘secure base’ for the child within the centre. Under this model attachment theory is the underlying theoretical framework utilising the Circle of Security model. All educators participate in ongoing professional learning to support them to be emotionally available to children. When primary caregiving practices are ingrained in policy and practices through a centre, all children and families benefit.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AylwardP., & O'NeillM. (2009). Invest to Grow. Final Evaluation Report. Through the Looking Glass – a community partnership in parenting. Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved 28 October 2010, from http://health.adelaide.edu.au/gp/publications/Through_the_looking_Glass.pdf.
2.
ColmerK. (2008). Leading a learning organisation: Australian early years centres as learning networks. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 16(1), March, 107–115.
3.
ColmerK., & EbertC. (2001). Primary caregiving – working towards secure attachments in childcare.Video, Adelaide: Lady Gowrie Child Centre.
DaviesK. (2006). Secure and insecure attachment relationships in a preschool, long day care setting.University of Adelaide: School of Psychology.
6.
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2009). Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.Canberra, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia.
7.
DolbyR. (2003). On being emotionally available. Reflections, 12, August. Queensland: Gowrie Australia.
8.
DolbyR. (2007). The Circle of Security: roadmap to building supportive relationships. Research in Practice Series, Canberra, ACT: Early Childhood Australia.
FloryV. (2005). Your child's emotional needs – what they are and how to respond.Sydney: Finch Publishing.
11.
HarrisonL. (2003). Building secure relationships in early childhood. Research in Practice Series, 10(2). Canberra: Early Childhood Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2010, from www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/rips/rip0302.pdf.
12.
HoffmanK. (2006). Workshop on Attachment.Adelaide, South Australia.
LiebermanA. (1993). The emotional life of the toddler.New York: The Free Press.
15.
LinkeP. (2010). Connecting behaviour with belonging. Every Child, 16(1), 14–15.
16.
Manning-MortonJ. (2006). The personal is professional: professionalism and the birth to threes practitioner. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 7(1), 42–52.
17.
MarvinR., CooperG., HoffmanK., & PowellB. (2002). The Circle of Security project: Attachment based intervention with caregiver-preschool child dyads. Attachment & Human Development, 4(1), April, 107–124. Retrieved 1 August 2010, from www.circleofsecurity.org/docs/languages/08%20AHD%20final.pdf.
MurphyP., & ColmerK. (2008). Utilising the capacity of child care for supporting parents and children. Reflections, 32, Spring. Queensland: Gowrie Australia.
20.
RolfeS. A. (2004). Rethinking attachment for early childhood practice: promoting security, autonomy and resilience in young children.NSW: Allen & Unwin.
