Childhood Attachment

Childhood attachment is the emotional relationship which a child can form with the people that care for them. John Bowlby (1969) shared a view that early childhood experiences can have an important influence on a Childs development. He argued that a Childs attachment can provide the basis from which a child can form a sense of identity. By drawing on the concepts such as ‘the attachment instinct', ‘a secure base' and ‘scripts and stories' the beginning of an explanation of attachments arises. Furthermore, by addressing the case of Jordan Morgan, life story work can be portrayed as helpful should these childhood attachments become disrupted .

Joanna Bornat and Andrew Northedge state that, "We begin to learn about ourselves from the earliest years of life, through our first relationships with those who care for us". (K101,unit 5,p.26). They continue to argue that it is through these early attachments that people learn to view the world, how they fit into it and ultimately how to make sense of it. Thus they gain a gradual understanding of themselves, whilst shaping and developing a sense of identity.

John Bowly (1969) dismissed the idea that babies are passive. Through making observations he was able to note how they indeed interacted with people. Bowlby was able to identify them as having ‘the attachment instinct'. According to Bowlby babies in fact want communication; they seek this by providing signals. These signals include babbling, smiling and reaching for others. This instinct can begin as early as the first few months. Gradually this changes and the instinct of wanting communication focuses more so on the primary care giver. He states "the mother – figure herself comes sooner or later to be conceived as an independent object."(Bowlby, 1969, p. 208) This attachment to the primary care giver leads onto the concept of ‘a secure base '.