Why is attachment important?

The quality of care experienced in the first years of a child’s life determines the quality of a child’s attachment relationships and this can have a life-long impact. The quality of the attachment relationship that forms between a child and his or her caregiver early in life can have a significant impact on a child’s later social, emotional, behavioural and cognitive development.

Research indicates that troubled or insecure attachment can contribute to a child experiencing: behavioural problems such as aggressive behaviour, conduct problems and antisocial behaviour; emotional problems such as anxiety and difficulty with emotion regulation; social problems such as poor peer interactions and rejection; and cognitive difficulties including low competence and academic functioning.

Early insecure attachment starts the individual along a developmental pathway that could lead to mental health problems, depending on later experiences. On the other hand, early secure attachment contributes to good psychological health through increased resilience, by providing children with the ability to deal well with, or recover from, difficult experiences later in life.

It is therefore essential that prevention and/or intervention happen early, to ensure that every child has the best possible chance in life.