Attachment Newsletter

First Issue

Welcome to the first issue of our Attachment Newsletter. We hope that this will become a useful way to share information from around the province. Our intent is to offer at least two yearly issues however that could change if our readers requests more.

The Infant-Parent Attachment Project began in August 2001 when Dr. Diane Benoit first came to begin training two interventionists in Modified Intervention Guidance (MIG). We’ve come a long way since then! New Brunswick is unique in that we are the only province in Canada that offers this program province wide in both official languages!

Within the next few months we will be sending you a brief questionnaire where you can share your concerns and successes in working on Infant-Parent Attachment. This will be followed by a regional meeting to help answer some of your concerns and help us to prepare for on-going training.

In future issues we will elaborate on the specific interventions and strategies mentioned in the Resources and Information section found in this issue.


Statistics and Research

The attachment program in numbers:
· 60 interventionists received trainning in attachment
· 13 interventionists received their accreditation
· 5 interventionists will receive their accreditation shortly
· 11 interventionists recently began their training

Conclusions of a research by Mary Dozier, Ph.D.

1. Interventions are effective in increasing the quality of attachment in children.
2. Interventions that focus on particular aspects, like parent sensitivity, seem to be more effective than interventions with global objectives.
3. Short interventions are as effective as longer interventions.
4. Interventions that begin when the quality of attachment emerges (at around 6 months) seem more effective than interventions beginning earlier.

Dozier M. Les interventions portant sur l’attachement et leur impact sur la qualité de l’attachement chez les nourrissons et les jeunes enfants. In: Tremblay RE, Barr RG, Peters RdeV, eds. Encyclopédie sur le développement des jeunes enfants (sur internet) Montréal, Québec:Centre d’excellence pour le développement des jeunes enfants; 2005:1-6. Available on this website:
http://www.enfant-enyclopédie.com/Pages/PDF/DozierFRxp.pdf

Ressources and Information

Here are some resources that help promote parent child relationships, secure attachment and parent sensitivity. Some are specific intervention programs and others are strategies that can be used as opportunities arise.

· Modified Interaction Guidance
· Watch, Wait and Wonder/Labeling Affect Homework
· Attachment Activity Cards
· The Simple Gift Series www.sickkids.ca
· Watch, Wait and Wonder Program (www.hincksdellcrest.org)
· DECA - Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (www.devereuxearlychildhood.org)
· ASQ-SE – Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social Emotional (www.agesandstages.com)
· Education in the here and now – addressing behaviors as we see them
· Promoting the five positives in everyday interactions
· 1,2,3,4 Parents
· Circle of Security (www.circleofsecurity.org)
· Baby Cues (www.ncast.org)
· NBO- Newborn Behavioral Observations (www.brazelton-institute.com)

Training Opportunities

Certification in the use of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) is available through the web. This tool promotes the social and emotional health of very young children by supporting the development of resilience in infants and toddlers.
The NBO scale looks at a wide range of behaviours in the baby and enables the interventionist to give important information to the parents about the individuality and unique character of their child in order to reaffirm the parent-child relationship and promote the interventionist-parent relationship. To receive training and certification, visit the website: www.brazelton-institute.com
Upcoming workshop: November 20th, 2008
8:45 am to 4:00 pm
Saint John Regional Hospital (amphitheatre)

National Child Day Conference presents: COMPLEX BEHAVIOUR DISORDERS IN CHILDREN. Diane Benoit, M.D., FRCPC will give a workshop on attachment in the morning. Charles Emmrys, PhD. will present a workshop in the afternoon on behavioural management.

For more information contact:

Dr. Wendy Alexander at (506) 849-0099

Infant-Parent Attachment Program

Department of Social Development, New-Brunswick

Contacts: Brenda Thornton (506) 325-4493 Renée Comeau-Doucet (506) 548-1042