Children with the worst early experiences present a considerable challenge for those helping them. Fostering is a vital resource in the care of these children. However, as Kim Golding argues in this paper, to be successful, fostering services need to be developed, supported and resourced to provide stable and therapeutic care. The extent of the difficulties experienced by the children needs to be recognised and services developed which can provide turning points in their development. Therapeutic options can be used that emphasise the role of the carer in the intervention, with a particular emphasis on the facilitation of secure attachment. Research and practice developments are urgently needed to explore interventions stemming from attachment theory for foster carers and the children they look after. The usefulness of attachment theory for guiding interventions with foster carers is explored, based on the experience of a specialist project set up to support carers of children ‘looked after’.
ArcelusJBellerbyTVostanisP, ‘A mental health service for younger people in the care of the local authority’, Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry4:2, pp 233–45, 1999.
2.
BowlbyJ, A Secure Base: Clinical applications of attachment theory, London: Routledge, 1988.
3.
BurgessCSmithK, Supporting Carers Supporting Looked After Children: A description and evaluation of the work of an interagency project established in Worcestershire, Unpublished document, 2002.
4.
CaplanG, Theory and Practice of Mental Health Consultation, New York: Basic Books, 1970.
5.
CicchettiDTothS, ‘A developmental psychopathology perspective on child abuse and neglect’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry34: 5, pp 541–65, 1995.
6.
CrittendenP M (1988), cited in HughesD A, Facilitating Developmental Attachment: The road to emotional recovery and behavioural change in foster and adopted children, London: Aronson, 1997.
7.
CrittendenP MLandiniAClaussenA H, ‘A dynamic-maturational approach to treatment of maltreated children’, in HughesJ NLa GrecaA MConoleyJ C (eds), Handbook of Psychological Services for Children and Adolescents, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
FahlbergV I, A Child's Journey Through Placement, London: BAAF, 1996 (last updated edition 2001).
10.
GoldingK S, Fostering Attachments in Looked After Children: Attachment, theory and intervention — a group for foster carers, Unpublished document, 2001.
11.
GoldingK S, Providing Specialist Psychological Support to Foster Carers: The usefulness of consultation as a mechanism for providing support, Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of D. Clin. Psy, Cardiff University, 2002.
12.
GoodmanR, ‘The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: a research note’, Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry38, pp 581–86, 1997.
13.
HartAThomasH, ‘Controversial attachments: the indirect treatment of fostered and adopted children via parent co-therapy’, Attachment and Human Development2:3, pp 306–27, 2000.
14.
HoweDBrandonMHiningsDSchofieldG, Attachment Theory, Child Maltreatment and Family Support, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1999.
15.
HoweDFearnleyS, ‘Disorders of attachment and attachment therapy’, Adoption & Fostering23:2, pp 19–30, 1999.
16.
HughesD A, Facilitating Developmental Attachment: The road to emotional recovery and behavioural change in foster and adopted children, London: Aronson, 1997.
17.
HunterM, Psychotherapy with Young People in Care, Hove: Brunner-Routledge, 2001.
18.
JamesB, Handbook for Treatment of Attachment-trauma Problems in Children, New York: Free Press, 1994.
19.
LevyT M, Handbook of Attachment Interventions, London: Academic Press, 2000.
20.
LevyT MOrlansM, Attachment, Trauma and Healing: Understanding and treating attachment disorder in children and families, Washington, DC: Child Welfare League of America Press, 1998.
21.
LindseyC, ‘Consultation with professional and family systems in the context of residential and fostering services 2: in and out of care’, in CampbellDDraperR (eds), Applications for Systemic Family Therapy: The Milan approach, New York: Grune & Stratton Ltd, 1985.
22.
Lyons-RuthKJacobvitzD, ‘Attachment disorganisation: unresolved loss, relational violence and lapses in behavioural and attentional strategies’, in CassidyJShaverP R (eds), Handbook of Attachment: Theory, research and clinical applications, London: The Guilford Press, 1999.
23.
MainMSolomonJ, ‘Discovery of an insecure-disorganised/disoriented attachment pattern’, in BrazeltonT BYogmanM W (eds), Affective Development in Infancy, Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1986.
24.
MarvinRCooperGKentHPowellB, ‘The circle of security project: attachment-based intervention with caregiver — pre-school child dyads’, Attachment and Human Development4:1, pp 107–24, 2002.
MinnisHDevineC, ‘The effect of foster carer training on the emotional and behavioural functioning of looked after children’, Adoption & Fostering25:1, pp 44–54, 2001.
27.
NissimR, ‘Who cares for carers?’, Foster Care, 12–13 March 1993.
28.
PallettCScottSBlackebyKYuleWWeissmanR, ‘Fostering changes: a cognitive-behavioural approach to help foster carers manage children’, Adoption & Fostering26:1, pp 39–48, 2002.
29.
QuintonDRushtonADanceCMayesD, Joining New Families: A study of adoption and fostering in middle childhood, Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
30.
RosenfeldADanielM DPilowskyPFinePThorpeMFeinESimmsM DHalfonNIrwinMAlfaroJSaletskyRNickmanS, ‘Foster care: an update’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry36:4, pp 448–57, 1997.
31.
Schein (1988), cited in CowburnM, ‘Consultancy to groupwork programmes for adult male sex offenders: some reflections on knowledge and processes’, British Journal of Social Work30:5, pp 635–48, 2000.
32.
SchofieldGBeekMSargentKThoburnJ, Growing Up in Foster Care, London: BAAF, 2000.
33.
SolomonJGeorgeC, Attachment Disorganization, New York: The Guilford Press, 1999.
34.
SprinceJ, ‘Towards an integrated network’, Journal of Psychotherapy26:3, pp 413–31, 2000.
35.
Webster-StrattonCHancockL, ‘Parent training for parents of young children with conduct problems: context, networks and therapeutic processes’, in BrieesmeisterJSchaeferC E (eds), Handbook of Parent Training: Parents as co-therapists for children's behaviour (second edition), Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
