Attachment Disorder is controversial. There’s a whiff of mother-blame about it, and some extremely disturbing experiments in the past involving monkeys. However, when you work with children and young people, it soon becomes clear that those who have secure and loving attachments with their caregiver(s) - and this doesn’t have to mean their mother - have an easier time of it in school.

They are living with less anxiety. They aren’t in a state of high alert that makes it hard to learn. When they go through difficult times, they are more effectively supported and their mental health is protected.

We have a responsibility towards our students’ mental health, especially when it impacts on learning. However, we are not health professionals, and our response as educators is not a therapeutic one. So what can we do?

First, remember two things:

• As teachers, we cannot either diagnose or cure. Problems relating to attachment do not have a direct relationship to poverty and/or class. Instead, consider whether the student has experienced trauma.
• Our role is different to that of a parent or mental health professional. Don’t forget our core purpose, which is learning.

Then, look at the following:

• Make your classroom a safe place - For those students who do not feel safe at home, coming to school, where everything is predictable, is a relief. When a child feels safe, they can learn. It’s as simple as that.
• Make your whole school a safe place - There isn’t much point in making your classroom somewhere where students feel they can participate without fear if, the moment they step outside the door, the trouble starts up again. Cultivate a culture of mutual respect between staff and students, where clear expectations of behaviour are set and stuck to.
• Expect all young people to be subject to the same boundaries - Removing barriers to learning doesn’t mean that children with behaviour difficulties shouldn’t have the same high expectations applied to them. Be persistently firm, fair and kind, but don’t expect immediate miracles.
• Don’t expect it to go away -Even if a child or young person is adopted or fostered into a loving home, the repercussions of early trauma can echo for years. Don’t think, because you know what a student’s difficulties are, that this knowledge is somehow going to make them go away.
• It doesn’t always look the same - Children with attachment issues can appear superficially charming and overly compliant as well as exhibiting challenging behaviour. The common thread is that they can have a reduced ability to control their emotions, and can experience a heightened sense of shame and low self-esteem.

Nancy Gedge is a consultant teacher for the Driver Youth Trust, which works with schools and teachers on SEND. She is the TES SEND specialist and author of Inclusion for Primary School Teachers