attachment

There may be no greater honor than when a child invites an adult to “come and play,” or when a teen asks, “You wanna hang out?” These invitations, with their expectations of mutual enjoyment, speak volumes about the relationship that a young person has with the adult.

Progress toward a lifetime commitment to permanence has stagnated over the past decade at just under three-fourths of those children and youth in care. The reunification rate has slipped from 53 percent to 51 percent.

Time does not wait while the foster care system goes slowly about its business of removing and replacing children. The child is growing and developing in response to his or her experiences.

Maltreatment in a child’s early life, such as abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence and separation from a caregiver are all factors that increase a child’s risk for developing a disorganized attachment.