ShareThe quality of early attachment relationships is of central importance to children's social and emotional development. It is vital to their all round development.
Shot over the first three years of an infant's life, the film shows the development of attachment behaviour. By observing the interactions between infants and their carers we see the attachment stages unfolding, giving a real understanding of how it works in practice. While the film focuses on secure attachment references are also made to insecure attachments.
The key aspects of secure base behaviour and the link between social and emotional development are shown clearly. Explanations of why things are happening at various stages are based on the now most generally accepted research and theory.
The documentary sequences are inter-cut with commentary by Dr. Per Olof Svanberg, consultant clinical psychologist. He has a relaxed, warm style of delivery and his explanations are clear and jargon free, as is the voice over commentary. He manages to include theory and research making it easy for students to make the links between theory and practice.
The film is divided into sections:
- Birth - 8 wks pre-attachment
- 8 wks - 8 mths attachment in the making
- 8 - 18 mths attachment behaviour
- 18 mths - 3 yrs increasing independence
The accompanying notes(26 pages) include questions and things to do, together with theory and up to date research relevant to each particular stage of attachment development. There is also a transcript of the films commentary and a recommended reading list.
42 mins.
Links to EYFS principles:
- A Unique Child: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4
- Positive relationships : 2.1, 2.3, 2.4
Heather Fields, Hartsmere High School and Associate Lecturer for Open University
Attachment in Practice is an excellent video. I have used it with groups of students studying AS level Psychology and found it very helpful for illustrating, and bringing to life, stages in development of attachment.
Sandeep Sekhon, Psychology Teacher of AS Level AQA Examining Board
As the kids watched [Attachment in Practice] they could see the stages of development taking place. It links in with the syllabus and the kids enjoyed the way it was filmed focused on the child's reactions to the different situations.
Sunil Puri, Multi Agency Safeguarding Trainer, Camden Council
I was very impressed with the quality of the information on the video of Attachment in Practice and I will find it invaluable in working with groups around child development.
Gail, Senior Practitioner, Coventry Post Adoption Team
We have used "Attachment in Practice" when working with parents who have adopted children. We find it very helpful as it shows clearly what builds a secure attachment in babies and children. We are able to highlight the attachment experiences that adopted and Looked After children are likely to have missed out on and what the effects of this are likely to be on their emotional development and functioning. The scenes reflecting Leila's emotional development are very useful in that they illustrate the importance of a secure attachment for the development of trust, the beginnings of self esteem, the confidence to explore and learn about the world and the beginnings of self regulation. You do not have to be a professional to understand this film, it is accessible and useful for both workers and for parents.
Judith Waters, Educational Psychologist
This is a wonderful film which is very effective in presenting the importance of attachment in relationships within the family and the ways in which the child's need for attachment, as their world expands outside the home, can be managed in the transition to the social group setting of nursery. I will find this film very useful in working with families who want to think about how their child's relationships within the family and transitions to nursery can best be managed. I particularly look forward to using the film in work with early years setting staff to assist thinking about the use of the key worker role in managing this transition. The way in which the film is presented in short 'chapters' each focusing on different aspects of the child's social and emotional needs and how they are met at home and in the move into nursery really lends itself to use in family support and nursery training sessions. All early years settings including two-year olds and practitioners working with these setting and with families with very young children should have a copy! I am really looking forward to sharing this film with colleagues and using it with families and settings - it's great!
Deb Gajic, Head of Social Science, Polesworth High School
This DVD has a clear relevance to A level Psychology Specifications with its focus on attachment. The voice over makes good links to theory and explicitly mentions Bowlby, Ainsworth and Piaget. The breakdown of the DVD into stages of development of attachment implicitly links to Schaffer's stage theory of attachment. I particularly liked the DVD's menu function that allows the user to choose which sections to play and take breaks at relevant points to discuss the issues raised...The DVD comes with extremely good user notes; these include film commentary, suggested questions and activities for students and an extensive reference list...It is nice to see a DVD on attachment that is up to date and doesn't include children and carers who look like they date from the 1970s.
Marion Dowling, Author and Vice President of Early Education
ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE is of extremely high quality - some beautiful shots of expressions of babies and young children.
Sara Rance, Consultant Child Adolescent Psychotherapist
ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE is a wonderful and much needed resource for clinicians, teachers and trainers, which was made in conjunction with Dr P.O. Svanberg, from the Sunderland Infant Program.
Professional Association of Nursery Nurses Review
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY is a very useful tool to use with students and staff training. It strikes the right balance of being easy to understand and informative without overloading.
Early Childhood Practice: The journal for Multi-Professional Partnerships
I have now viewed ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE, LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND CHILD OBSERVATON NO.8 developed by Siren Films, and have found them to be an invaluable addition to my library.
Helen Edwards - The Foundation Stage Forum
ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE. I have just watched this film with my nursery colleagues and it provoked much discussion about our current children, some of whom are finding it very difficult to settle in a new environment.
Phil Stringer, Principal Educational Psychologist, Hampshire County Council
ATTACHMENT IN PRACTICE. The importance and potential value of this film cannot be sufficiently emphasised. Sensitively observed and well-produced films about child development are few and far between
A Sense of Security
Young children can cope with minor stresses and anxieties if they feel secure in their relationship with their carer, as Anne O'Connor explains.
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