Thomas Coram Adoption Project:

1
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
Sample 43 adoptive mothers of 61
placed children, aged 4 8 years, with histories
of abuse, neglect, and multiple placements.
Aim to investigate whether there may be
early signs of the influence of the adoptive
mothers state of mind with regard to attachment
which would be associated with their newly
placed childrens state of mind with regard
attachment (as expressed in their narrative
story- completions).
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy pp 187 -205
2
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
AAI I/d of unresolved states of mind when
adult shows signs of ongoing grief and
disorientation concerning some past loss or
trauma.
Story stems Assess childs expectations
and perceptions of family roles, attachments
and relationships what does the child expect
from a parent at times of need, hurt, danger,
fear, separation? Does the child believe that
carers are aware when children need care,
comfort and protection do they believe that the
parent has them in mind?
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy
3
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
Findings 2 years after placement,
most maltreated children showed steady progress,
with more positive representations of carers
appearing in their stories, although alongside
these more positive representations, less
positive representations continued to exist.
Indicators of disorganised attachments were still
present e.g. catastrophic fantasies, even when
more positive representations also appeared.
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy
4
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
More secure, sensitive, mind-minded
carers appear to help these maltreated children
build internal representations of available
and responsive caregiving. However, at times of
stress or change, the more frightening
internalised attachment representations/figures
are once more evoked. Children regress, become
more aggressive and difficult to manage.
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy
5
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
A small number of adoptive parents had
an Unresolved attachment status
unhappy childhood experiences which they had
not processed or reflected upon, so that they
had not moved on. They remained vulnerable in
the face of strongly activated attachment-related
issues. Maltreated children are likely to
present such parents with very powerful,
evocative attachment-related issues of loss,
need, neglect, rejection and/or trauma.
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy
6
Thomas Coram Adoption Project Miriam Steele,
Jill Hodges, Jeanne Kaniuk, Saul Hillman Kay
Sanderson
Finding Adoptive mothers with unresolved
attachment issues found it difficult to focus on
their childrens needs adequately, feeling hurt
and rejected by their childrens hostile,
destructive or rejecting behaviour.
Finding Maltreated children placed with
unresolved adopters showed the least progress.
They failed to develop more secure attachments.
They continued to display more negative story
stems and couldnt use an organised strategy to
deal with the stories attachment issues.
Attachment representations and adoption 2003
Journal of Child Psychotherapy pp 187 -205
7
one possible implication ?

• This study demonstrates powerfully the
  consequences of adopters unresolved aspects of
  their past and the way disturbing children in
  their care make the least progress indeed the
  placement itself is more vulnerable
• Thus, would there be any reason to believe that
  these findings would not apply to other
  caregivers (e.g. residential workers, foster
  carers, nursery workers, youth workers etc.)?
• Indeed, what about all professionals working with
  vulnerable children?