Reassessing Attachment Theory in Child Welfare
Sue White, Matthew Gibson, David Wastell, and Patricia Walsh
Abstract
This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice, examining controversies and offering a new pedagogy that is responsive to the changing dynamics of contemporary families. The book shows how attachment theory can distort and influence decision-making. It argues that the dominant view of attachment theory may promote a problematic diagnostic mindset, whilst undervaluing the enduring relationships between children and adults. The book concludes that attachment theory can still play an important role in child ... More
This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice, examining controversies and offering a new pedagogy that is responsive to the changing dynamics of contemporary families. The book shows how attachment theory can distort and influence decision-making. It argues that the dominant view of attachment theory may promote a problematic diagnostic mindset, whilst undervaluing the enduring relationships between children and adults. The book concludes that attachment theory can still play an important role in child welfare practice, but the balance of the research agenda needs a radical shift towards a sophisticated understanding of the realities of human experience to inform ethical practice.
Keywords:
child attachment theory,
child welfare,
contemporary families,
child welfare practice,
child attachment
Bibliographic Information
Print publication date: 2019 |
Print ISBN-13: 9781447336914 |
Published to Policy Press Scholarship Online: September 2020 |
DOI:10.1332/policypress/9781447336914.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
Sue White, author
University of Sheffield
Matthew Gibson, author
University of Birmingham
David Wastell, author
Nottingham University Business School
Patricia Walsh, author
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