Happiness and Readiness to Learn

This Section Introduces Attachment Theory and Begins to Investigate the Effects of Trauma and Loss on Mental Health, Well-being, Learning, and Behavior. It Contains Practical Ideas for Promoting All Children and Adolescents' Well-being and Emotional Health.

Sing with text: Love to learn
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What Is the Significance of This Section?

Even if these new relationships are with secure and supportive people, the experience of attachment difficulties, trauma, and loss can have long-term repercussions on mental health and well-being, as well as how children and young people relate to others. This can have a negative impact on their capacity to participate in learning. When attempting to accelerate development and increase attainment for looked after and formerly looked after children, Designated Teachers must push knowledge of the necessity of identifying these challenges and responding to them effectively throughout the entire school. Schools that are aware of these challenges can positively influence the mental health and well-being of all students, as well as the overall well-being of the school community.

The theories presented here are complicated, and support for each child will be unique. However, this part will introduce you to some of the fundamentals; for more specialized assistance, please see our Resources, Agencies, and Partners page and our Emotion Coaching section.

An Overview of Attachment Styles and Their Effects on Learning and Behavior

The term attachment refers to an infant's relationship with their primary caregiver (s). The attachment relationship is a long-lasting caring link that physically and emotionally unites the infant with their caregiver(s) (Bowlby 1969). The attachment bond is formed when caregivers respond effectively to a baby's or child's needs. When a baby screams, for example, caregivers comfort the baby, feed or change their nappy, and hold them. The caregiver meets the baby's physical and emotional requirements. As the baby grows bigger and begins to crawl or walk, they should perceive their caregiver as a "safe base" from which they can explore their surroundings. If the baby becomes distressed, they return to their caregiver for emotional support. They can then leave their secure stronghold and learn more about their surroundings.

Bowlby proposed that early interactions between an infant and a caregiver formed the child's "internal working models." These models shape the child's perceptions of themselves ("are I loveable?"), others ("are other people reliable, and do they meet my needs?"), and the world ("is the world out there a safe place to explore and learn from?").

Ainsworth and colleagues have since identified four major attachment styles, each with distinct behaviors of both the child and the caregiver. But, first, it is crucial to emphasize that insecure ambivalent and insecure-avoidant children have attachments to their caregivers: up to 40% of school-aged children may have these sorts of insecure attachments:

A kid with a Secure attachment style will boldly explore their surroundings, focusing on activities for extended periods of time and seeking assistance from the caregiver when necessary. The caregiver reacts to the child's demands in an acceptable, warm, and consistent manner, providing comfort and enjoyment.

A child who is insecure Because they are unsure of what response will be offered, people with ambivalent attachment styles are more tentative in their exploration of their world and demand a lot of help from their caregiver. Care providers' responses to the child's needs range from responsive to indifferent.

A child with an Insecure Avoidant attachment style is very cautious when investigating his or her surroundings and seems self-sufficient, yet self-regulation is inadequate. The caregiver's approach is dismissive and consistently unsympathetic to the child's emotional needs. However, they usually respond to physical needs appropriately.

A youngster with a Disorganized attachment style does not explore the surroundings and believes that appealing to the caregiver worsens their pain. As a result, the child's behavior is irregular; they may appear disconnected and aggressive and soothe themselves. The caregiver responds to the child's needs by frightening or frightening the child; they are frequently inattentive and/or abusive, and they may abandon the infant or leave them with strangers.

How Can We Assist? Positive Behavior Promotion Based on Attachment Type

Type of Attachment: Insecure Ambivalent

Internal Organizational Structure

Typical actions

What is the youngster thinking or feeling

What is the school capable of

Insecure Avoidant Attachment Type

Internal Organizational Structure

Typical actions

What is the youngster thinking or feeling

What is the school capable of

Type of Attachment: Disorganized

Internal Organizational Structure

Typical actions

What is the youngster thinking or feeling

What is the school capable of

Other Signs of Attachment Dysfunction

Typical actions

What is the youngster thinking or feeling

What is the school capable of

When a Person's Behavior Abruptly Deteriorates

This can occur during special occasions such as Mother's Day, birthdays, religious festivities, and weekends, as well as at regular times.

What the child thinks or feels

What is the school capable of

Please remember that this is a very basic introduction to Attachment Theory. The Attachment Research Community (ARC) is a network of schools, settings, trainers, and researchers dedicated to discovering best practices in addressing everyone's attachment needs. It provides schools with specialized training and assistance.

An Overview of Trauma and Its Effects on Learning

Many of the youngsters in care have been traumatized. Typical causes include:

With the help of loving caregivers, children can overcome trauma. On the other hand, children who have been looked after have frequently suffered several traumas over a lengthy period (chronic). Trauma is associated with various troublesome behaviors in school, including a lack of emotional control, poor organizational and planning abilities, problems with working memory, and difficulty starting new activities or transitioning between activities.

Assisting Children Who Have Been Traumatized

The Australian Childhood Foundation (2006) created a framework for assisting young people who have experienced school-related trauma. The acronym PRACTICE is used in this framework. The school should strive for

Predictability

Traumatized children perceive changes in routines and their environment as a potential threat.

Strategies

Reactive

Traumatized youngsters frequently struggle to remember and implement rules and punishments. In addition, traumatized children's demanding behavior can elicit emotions from others, exacerbating stress and disengagement. Therefore, understanding the reason and intent of the behavior is essential for responding to traumatized youngsters.

Strategies

Focused

Children that have been traumatized are not sensitized (in touch with) how they feel because

Approaches:

Networking

Traumatized youngsters frequently feel alienated from their sensations, memories, and sense of self because

Approaches:

Translating

Trauma disrupts children's remembering capacity. As a result, they feel disconnected from their past and present, making it difficult to think about the future.

Strategies

Including

Because of their trauma, traumatized children have weak internal working models for developing, maintaining, comprehending, and being in relationships with their peers.

Strategies

Relaxing

Children who have been traumatized are constantly under stress. They perceive the unfamiliar as dangerous. They have little comprehension and experience with the concept of quiet and no idea how to calm themselves down.

Strategies

Interesting

Because traumatized children lack internal working models for relating to adults,

Strategies

Introduction to Loss and Its Consequences

CLA has frequently experienced loss before being cared for due to bad relationships with their caregivers and the terrible circumstances in which they reside. For example, they may have regularly felt abandoned and worried that they would never see their caregiver again. Alternatively, the youngster may have had uneven care and suffered loss and despair when their needs were not addressed.

Even if the child's bond to their birth parent was insecure or disorganized, being put into care marks a further loss for them. Even if their experiences are far from ideal, the youngster loses everything that is known to them. In foster care, instability leads to further loss experiences. As a result, CLA frequently suffers repeated losses.

People experiencing loss or grief, according to Kubler-Ross (1969), go through stages. The stages are as follows:

Each person will progress through the stages at their own pace and in their own order.

Helping young people cope with loss and sadness