Attachment – Key Concepts

The learning from the attachment field has crucial implications for anyone living with, working with, and caring for people. Helen’s style key elements of theory and its implications for practice, parenting and self-awareness.

AAPC - Attachment Aware Parent Consultation

Work with parents/carers to enhance their understanding of, and effective responding to, their child/young person. AAPC work can be flexible and tailored to need – including face to face consultations, email and phone support, home based action plans and reflective tasks. As an approach AAPC is informed by the work of Kim Golding, Dan Hughes and practical positive parenting. The aim is to enhance the carers’ ways of being with the young person that are most likely to provide opportunities for them to connect, manage, and reflect. Equally important is increasing mutual enjoyment of the relationship. Helen is experienced in creating space and support for the carer/s to:

• express, explore and process their emotional responses to the young person

• enhance their understanding of the child’s behaviours and ways of relating – identifying underlying feelings and needs

• increase empathic, nurturing and containing ways of responding

• strengthen their self-support

Sessions include psycho-education and exploration of:

• Relevant theoretical constructs (attachment theory, developmental trauma etc…)

• Relevant parenting models and skills

• Carer’s own attachment style and implications for parenting

• How to further develop reflective capacity and empathic commentary

• Parental confidence and strengths

• PACEful relating with young person and with self

AAPC Package

• 8 one hour sessions over a three month period

• Support and advice in between sessions

• Practical, skills-based and reflective tasks devised for carer

• Evaluation/case summary at beginning and end

• Certificate for parent/carer

• Liaison with relevant professionals