ERIC Number: EJ1379776
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1068-6177
EISSN: N/A
Relationship Anchors to Support Young Children's Resilience
Leifield, Lisa
Dimensions of Early Childhood, v50 n3 p6-12 2022
Young children are disproportionately impacted by trauma (Barnett & Hambien, n.d.) and are more vulnerable to the impact of trauma (Bartlett et al., 2017). Trauma in the early years' impacts brain development (Bartlett, et al., 2017; Sciaffara et al., 2018), which has both immediate (Bartlett & Smith, 2017) as well as long-term consequences for young children (Bartlett & Steber, 2019; Sciaffara et al., 2018). The purpose of this article is to introduce the "Relationship Anchors Framework for Supporting Resilience (RAF/R)." RAF/R provides a framework that infant and toddler teachers can use to ensure relationships remain in the forefront of their teaching practices. Relationship anchors (RAs) are strategies teachers can use to provide support and stability for consistent, predictable, responsive, and nurturing relationships. RAs support the relationship requirements identified by Shonkhoff & Phillips' (2000) seminal summary of child development research, which identified that children require eight things from relationships. Seven of these requirements are particularly relevant to children exposed to trauma. These include: (1) reliable support; (2) responsiveness; (3) reciprocal exchanges; (4) support for the growth of new skills and capabilities within the child's reach; (5) protection; (6) affection; and (7) respect.
Descriptors: Young Children, Resilience (Psychology), Trauma, Infants, Toddlers, Teaching Methods, Child Development, Skill Development, Empathy, Therapy, Therapeutic Environment, Early Childhood Education
Southern Early Childhood Association. PO Box 8109
Jacksonville, AR 72078. Tel: 501-221-1648. e-mail: info@seca.info; Web site: www.seca.info/dimensions
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A