SAFETY AND CARE

Nurturing Relationships
Babies

Caregivers have an important role to play

in supporting children during the stressful
time of separating from their parents.
Settling a baby who is new to child care
requires a great deal of skill and
understanding.
Children who do not recover from the upset
of separating from their primary
attachment figure may find it very difficult
to develop trust in their caregivers, to feel
secure and to explore their new
environments.

How can carers develop

and maintain nurturing
relationships with
babies/infants?

EARLY YEARS LEARNING

FRAMEWORK
Children develop a sense of belonging when they feel
accepted, develop attachments and trust those who
care for them. When children feel safe, secure and
supported they grow in confidence to explore and learn
(Early Years Learning Framework, page 20).

(NQF)ELEMENT 5.1.3
EACH CHILD IS SUPPORTED TO FEEL SECURE, CONFIDENT AND
INCLUDED.

Assessors may observe:

Children being supported to build
secure attachments with one and
then more familiar educators
using a favourite toy or comfort item
brought from home to help them
settle and feel secure in the service
many opportunities for babies and
toddlers to experience relaxed
physical contact and one-to-one
interactions with familiar educators.

NURTURING
RELATIONSHIPS
Infants and toddlers who
are loved, nurtured and
cared for by responsive
adults are more
adventurous, confident
and sociable than
children whose
caregivers are distant
and emotionally
unavailable.

BONDING AND
ATTACHMENT
A bond develops when an
infants parents, other family
members and caregivers develop
nurturing relationships with that
child
Attachment is a special bond
between an infant and those who
care for him/her.
Attachment is characterised by a
strong feeling of being connected
and belonging together.

ATTACHMENT IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE.
1. It provides a secure base
from which infants can
explore the world
2. It provides a model for
future relationships
3. Securely attached
children tend to be more
outgoing, happy and do
better at school than
children who are not

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

ATTACHMENTS
Primary attachments are those
attachments children have with
their parents and family members

Secondary attachments are

those attachments children form
with their caregivers other than
family members eg childcare
workers

TRUST AND
ATTACHMENT
Infants develop a sense of trust when
they are in an environment that gives
them the following messages:
The world is a friendly place their
cries prompt a positive response by
loving, nurturing adults
They are important their needs are
met quickly and consistently

TRUST AND
ATTACHMENT
Without a sense of trust the world becomes an
unreliable, frightening place
Developing a trusting relationship and secure
attachments to primary carers is critical for the healthy
social and emotional development of infants and
toddlers

STAGES OF ATTACHMENT
First Stage (birth 5/6 months) Obvious preference for mother,
however babies at this stage discriminate less between adults, so
long as their needs are met in a responsive , caring way
Second Stage (5-11mths) Infants show a definite preference for
familiar people eg mother, father, frequent carer.

Third stage separation anxiety (8 18mths) children will resist

care or attention from unfamiliar people and will move closer to
their parent or familiar carer. Fear of being separated from primary
caregivers and will cry when this person leaves room.
Fourth Stage Stranger anxiety (18 24mths) children become
cautious around strangers, may become distressed, clingy and cry

STRATEGIES TO
SUPPORT ATTACHMENT
Understanding about the development of
attachment is important professional
knowledge.
In childrens services, healthy attachment
relationships between children and carers
are characterised by the following:

Frequent, affectionate physical contact

Reciprocal positive interactions
Comfort
Physical needs met in a consistent,
caring and timely manner
Consistency- It is a requirement of staff
in a babies room to organise shifts to
ensure that there is always one familiar
staff member with the babies and
toddlers.

DEVELOPING ATTACHMENT IN A CHILD

CARE SETTING
Hutchins(1999) suggests the following strategies to support the
development of attachment in child care settings:
1. Social referencing very young children often look to their
attachment figures for cues to guide their behaviour in unfamiliar
situations. If they sense that their parents feel comfortable and
welcome at the service, children are more likely to feel the same
way. Encouraging parents to visit the service before child begins
care is an ideal strategy. Then in the orientation weeks when the
child starts to come welcome them both and give them time by
making yourself available from the moment that they arrive.
2. Handles for attachment using familiar toys, books, rugs or
rituals can help carers build relationships with children.
3. Maximising holding and physical comfort never ignore or leave
to cry a distressed child
4. Providing tuned in attentive care

WHAT DOES
ATTACHMENT LOOK
LIKE?
BEGINS WITH LOVE
RESPECT
SUPPORTING BABIES EFFORTS
POSITIVE GUIDANCE
KEEPING IT LIGHT
STRENGTHENING ATTACHMENT EMBEDDED IN
ORDINARY ROUTINES
CARING AND SAFE EMOTIONAL CLIMATE
RESPONSE TO BODY LANGUAGE
USING BOOKS
TEACHING GROUP ENTRY SKILLS
CARING AND RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENT
ATTENTIVE GLANCES

HOW DOES ATTACHMENT

HELP THE BABY IN CHILD
CARE
In the childcare setting, a focus on secure attachment
between the caregiver and baby means that feelings of
security and contentment are achieved for the baby.

HOW CAN CAREGIVERS MAKE THE

SEPARATION PROCESS
SMOOTHER?
1.

Encouraging the parents to stay

2.

Developing a settling in process

3.

Responding appropriately to the parents and

childs distress

4.

Establishing routines to minimise the distress at

separation

5.

Developing a relationship with the child

SEPARATION ANXIETY
Find out childs likes and dislikes
Follow parents advice / suggestions
Be friendly and reassuring to parents
Ask parent to send something special from home
Make sure child has comforters
Never leave distressed child to cry by him/herself
Offer physical comfort, even if they continue to cry

SEPARATION ANXIETY
CONT
Talk to child in gentle, reassuring voice

Take child for a walk away from hustle and bustle of

room
Find a game/activity child likes
Establish a ritual to carry out when parent leaves
Take their fears seriously
Try to prevent frightening situations from occurring

TRANSITION PHASE
The younger the child, the more critical
the transition phase.
A well planned transition into care
should take place over several weeks
and allow:
The child to develop an attachment to
the primary carer
The child to get to know the carer and
adjust to the care setting while having
the security of their mother close by to
reassure the child
A gradual decrease in the amount of
time parents spend at the service with
the child

TRANSITION PHASE
CONT.
A positive relationship with the parent to develop,
which sets the foundation for an ongoing exchange of
information and shared decision making
Parents to meet other carers and parents
Parents to observe the carers and program in action
Parents and carers to discuss any issues that arise
before care officially commences

GATHERING
INFORMATION
One of the most important features of a well planned
transition is the opportunity for carers to gather information
about the cultural context in which the child lives and about
the individual needs of the child including:
The childs daily schedule and routines when the child
sleeps, eats, wakes, requires nappy change or toileting
Learning about infants cues or how the child communicates
and how carer can respond to these cues
Asking questions and observing parent child rituals that
have developed as part of the child-parent relationship

REASSURING AND
SUPPORTING PARENTS
How might you reassure a parent who was
showing signs of distress at leaving his/her
child in your care?
1.

Explain your role is to develop secondary

attachments with the child that support
rather than weaken the childs primary
attachment

2.

Ensure childs personal belongings are

cared for appropriately

3.

Talk to parents and ask their advice about

establishing routines for their child

4.

Discuss childs day so they feel informed

5.

Show empathy you understand the

conflicts they are experiencing

6.

Invite parents to spend time at centre

GENERAL STRATEGIES TO
SUPPORT SEPARATION
Find out childs likes and dislikes
Follow parents advice / suggestions
Be friendly and reassuring to parents
Ask parent to send something special from home
Make sure child has comforters
Never leave distressed child to cry by him/herself
Offer physical comfort, even if they continue to cry
Talk to child in gentle, reassuring voice
Take child for a walk away from hustle and bustle of room
Find a game/activity child likes
Establish a ritual to carry out when parent leaves
Take their fears seriously
Try to prevent frightening situations from occurring

INTERACTING WITH
INFANTS / BABIES
Interactions with babies need to be respectful and
reciprocal. What does this mean to you?
Speaking to the child about things which concern them
Pause in your interactions to allow infant to take turns
in the conversation
To follow up on infants interests and communication
Involves sometimes leading and sometimes following
the child in the interaction

INITIATING
INTERACTIONS

When we lead an interaction we tend to:

1. Decide what is going to be the topic of the
interaction
2. Initiate contact with the child
3. Engage the child in the interaction
4. Introduce new topics / activities to keep the child
interested

FOLLOWING
INTERACTIONS
When we follow an interaction we tend to:
1. Respond positively to the child initiating the
interaction
2. Follow up on the childs interest
3. Wait to see where the child wants to take the
interaction
4. Pick up on the childs cues and interests