Interaction and Attachment between Children and Carers

The objective of the study programme is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge about how attachments and interaction in close care

relationships form and affect the development of children and adolescents. The programme focuses on knowledge and understanding of good development patterns, and development patterns in which children develop destructive interaction patterns with their close caregivers. The programme emphasises the development of students’ ability to take action through supervised practical use of different tools.

In particular, the programme emphasises the development of skills in observing, recognising and understanding attachment behaviour, and being able to make qualified assessments of the opportunities for change for children and their close caregivers.

Course units for the 6 seminars:

• Course unit 1 Developmental Psychology in a Relational Perspective
• Course unit 2 Clinical Assessments of Interaction and Attachments
• Course unit 3 Assessment Tools
• Course unit 4 Practical Training Using Assessment Tools
• Course unit 5 Intervention Aimed at Various Target Groups
• Course unit 6 Final Lecture, Conclusion and Examination

Seminars:

Teaching: Wednesday-Friday in weeks 36, 42 and 48 (autumn semester), and weeks 4, 10 and 16 (spring semester).

Application deadline: 15.06.2010

The study programme has been developed by:

• Ellinor Young – Assistant Professor; Child Welfare in a Multicultural Society, Telemark University College.
• Berit Margrethe Sandvik – Assistant Professor; Public Health Nurse – advanced programme, Telemark University College.
• Olav Mortensen – Psychologist, Svaleveien barnesenter (Bufetat).
• Knut Halvdan Svendsen – Psychologist, private practice.