Strengthening Families Protective Factors: Part II

Strengthening Families Protective Factors: Part II
Niagia Williams Prevent Child Abuse Delaware 100 W. 10th Street, Suite 715 Wilmington, DE 19801 (302) 425-7490

Protective Factors Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development Concrete support in times of need Parental Resilience Social Connections Social Emotional Competence of children Nurturing and Attachment

Program Strategies that build Protective Factors Facilitate friendships and mutual support Strengthen parenting Respond to Family Crises Link families to services and opportunities Facilitate children’s social and emotional development Observe and respond to early warning signs of child abuse and neglect Value and support parents

Let’s look in more detail!

Nurturing and Attachment The emotional tie along with a pattern of positive interaction between the parent and child that develops over time.

Nurturing and Attachment: Kinds of Attachment Secure Ambivalent Avoidant Not a primary classification but added later: Disorganized

Secure Attachment Parent: tend to play more with their child; emotionally available, perceptive and responsive to infant’s needs and mental states, consistent Child: become visibly upset when caregiver leave and are happy when they return, but able to be comforted by others; prefer parents to others; expects that their need will be met; use caregiver as base Child as an adult: trusting, long term relationships, high self esteem, seek out social support, ability to share feeling with other people

Ambivalent Attachment Parent: inconsistently available to child; unpredictable, chaotic, may be attentive but out of sync with baby Child: suspicious of strangers, display considerable distress when separated from caregiver, but aren’t very comforted by their return, cries a lot, clingy, demanding, angry Child as an adult: reluctant about becoming close to others, clingy and over-dependent, frequent breakups, very distraught at the end of relationships, may cling to young children as a source of security

Avoidant Parent: emotionally unavailable or rejecting; dislikes neediness; dismissive and non-responsive when child was emotionally needy Child: avoid caregiver; random aggression; may not reject attention from caregiver, but does not seek out comfort or contact; no preference between caregiver and strangers; unresponsive when held, but upset when put down Child as an Adult: difficulty with intimacy and close relationships, don’t invest much emotion; failure to support partner during stressful times; inability to share emotions, thoughts, and feelings

Disorganized Parent: absent, abusive, negligent or maltreats child; may act as figure of fear and reassurance to child Child: lack of clear attachment behavior; mix of behaviors (both ambivalent and avoidant); may be confused and apprehensive in the presence of caregiver; as they grow older may take on parenting role Child as an adult: difficulty expressing themselves coherently; may have unhealthy ways to self-soothe; difficulty trusting others

How Can Parents create a healthy attachment with their babies?

Nurturing and Attachment: How can parents work on Attachment Respond to baby with warm, authentic responses Respond to every cue, not just signals of distress Make Adjustments Be on the child’s level

Nurturing and Attachment How do you Nurture yourself? How do you get your needs met? Physical Social Emotional Intellectual Creative Spiritual

Nurturing and Attachment connection to: Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development When a parent understands child development they are also able to understand the importance of nurturing and attachment and how it fits into the healthy development of that child

Nurturing and Attachment connection to: Concrete Support in Times of Need When parents needs something and receive it they are better able to continue to nurture their child and fulfill the need of a healthy attachment for their child.

Nurturing and Attachment connection to: Parental Resilience When parents are able to effectively manage stressors, they are being resilient. By managing stressors they feel better and can provide more nurturing attention to their child, which enables their child to form a secure emotional attachment.

Nurturing and Attachment connection to: Social Connections Parents must nurture themselves and having social connections is one way to meet that need.

Nurturing and Attachment connection to: Social-Emotional Competence of Children A child’s social emotional development depends on the quality of nurturing attachment and stimulation that a child experiences.

What do you do to enhance Nurturing and Attachment in the families that you serve?

Nurturing and Attachment: How can you help parents with attachment and nurturing? WHAT DO YOU DO? ENCOURAGE Looking Holding Talking Feeling Comforting Following Greeting

Strengthening Families Protective Factors: Part II