The Need for Information on How the Attachment Difficulties of Adopted and Looked after Children Affect their Schooling

Abstract

The loss, separation and trauma experienced by looked after and adopted children can seriously affect their school life and ability to learn. A great deal has been written and researched on the low educational achievement of looked after children, but there is much less available on how adopted children fare. An attachment perspective can make a valuable contribution to understanding the learning needs of vulnerable children. Rena Phillips discusses a successful initiative by PACS, a small post-adoption support charity, in producing succinct and accessible publications to inform teachers, as well as families and professionals, about the types of difficult and challenging behaviour that can arise from attachment issues and why. The materials include practical suggestions about how schools can help to create a more understanding learning environment. Other developments that reflect the growing interest in attachment issues and education are described.