Description:
This book offers an analysis and summary of the uses, abuses and limitations of attachment theory in contemporary child welfare practice.
Analysing the primary science and drawing on the authors' original empirical work, the book shows how attachment theory can distort and influence decision-making. It argues that the dominant view of attachment theory may promote a problematic diagnostic mindset, whilst undervaluing the enduring relationships between children and adults.
The book concludes that attachment theory can still play an important role in child welfare practice, but the balance of the research agenda needs a radical shift towards a sophisticated understanding of the realities of human experience to inform ethical practice.
Brief description: Matthew Gibson is a Lecturer in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Birmingham.
Review Quotes: "This book is very engagingly written and provides a comprehensive and informative critique. I appreciate its balanced presentation of both limitations and value of attachment theory in current contexts". Pam Joseph, University of Sydney