This workshop will explore the importance of facilitating secure caregiver attachment as a protective factor for vulnerable families. Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that, when present, increase the health and well-being of children and families. They are attributes that serve as buffers, helping parents who might otherwise be at risk of maltreating their children – to find resources, supports, or coping strategies that allow them to parent effectively, even under stress. Focusing on protective factors, which are attributes that families themselves often want to build, helps service providers develop positive relationships with parents. Research has found that secure caregiver attachment is one of the most predictive protective factors to ensure the well-being of children and families and placement stability long-term. The workshop will focus on specific strategies to promote secure attachment in caregivers when working in different contexts including family preservation, kinship placements, foster care, reintegration, and residential care.

CEU’s Available: 1  (Mandy Howard, Samford University)