Observing Children with Attachment Difficulties in School

Helen Worrall is a support teacher for ISL, with over ten years' experience teaching children with special needs. Sian Templeton is an educational psychologist. Previously, she taught in primary education. Netty Roberts is a Foundation and Key Stage 1 teacher with ISL, with a special interest in working with children with special needs. Ann Frost works in Early Years and Education for ISL, supporting looked after and adopted children by raising awareness of their additional needs in schools and early years settings. Kim S. Golding CBE, BSc, MSc, D. Clin. Psy. AFBPsS is a clinical psychologist who works in Worcestershire, England where she was influential in the founding of the Integrated Service for Looked After Children - a multi-agency, holistic service providing support for foster, adoptive and residential parents, schools and the range of professionals supporting children growing up in care or in adoptive families. Kim was trained and mentored by Dan Hughes in the use of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). She was formerly on the board of the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute supporting the use of DDP in Europe, USA and Canada. She accredits and trains professionals in the approach and has been invited to speak about this work internationally. Eleanor Durrant is currently completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a special interest in attachment. Jain Fain is an early years practitioner for ISL, supporting the transition of children from early years settings into school. Cathy Mills was a teacher for many years before retiring in 2011. She now works with the Greenfingers Project offering therapeutic gardening and art sessions to looked after children.

This book is well written and beautifully presented, overfilling with useful information. It is an excellent resource for teachers, teaching assistants, educational psychologists and play therapists to help understand the sensitive emotional needs of children and identify what kind of support to put in place.

• Acknowledgements. Foreword by Louise Bombèr. 1. Introduction: About this Resource. 1. Child Development in the Early Years. 2. Recognising the Emotional Needs of Children in School. 3. Understanding Emotional Needs through Knowledge of Attachment Theory. 4. Introducing the Observation Checklist. 5. Detailed Guidance for Completing the Checklist Section by Section. 6. Worked Examples of the Observation Checklist: Chloe and Jacob. 7. Analysis of Information: Interpreting the Completed Checklist. 8. Worked Examples of Interpreting the Checklist and Support Plans: Chloe and Jacob. 9. Helping the Child with Attachment Difficulties in School. 10. Helping the Child with Different Attachment Styles in School. 11. Supporting the Emotional Needs of Children with Attachment Difficulties. 12. Supporting Children with Multiple Difficulties. Appendix 1. Observation Checklist. Appendix 2.  Attachment Theory and Schools. Appendix 3. Glossary. Appendix 4. Glossary for UK Education System. Appendix 5. Bibliography and Websites. References.