Evaluate the effect on children and young people of having positiverelationships during periods of transition.Normally, with an evaluation, you would set up a framework through which you would

be able to measure something relatively concrete, so that you can then make

informed assumptions and draw a conclusion.

However, when it comes to measuring the effects of something abstract, such as

positive relationships, it is reasonable to make an assumption from the start – in this

case that positive relationships during transitional periods will have more positive and

enabling effects on children, thus helping them cope better with transition – and then

to seek to prove that assumption by looking at the different roles of important people

in the lives of children, and effects that may be elicited through negative and positive

versions of those relationships.

By being able to identify the effects on the child, you can make a reasonable

evaluation of whether or not those are positive and helpful effects. This type of

analysis is very useful for you when supporting children, because it helps you identify

positive and negative relationships, through the effects on the children.

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Good attachment.

The role of the parent

As the person with whom a baby makes their very first relationship, the mother's role

in her child's life is probably the most important. The attachment that forms between

the mother and child is created for survival purposes from the outset, and the

mother's ability to meet the needs of the child, in order for that baby to thrive and

flourish, is vital to that attachment.

The function of attachment

Initially, 'survival needs' refers to physical qualities of life, such as food, shelter,

warmth, and safety. However, as the child grows, they also need physical contact,

emotional contact, and closeness.

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When the child starts to explore his or her world, they need to have confidence that

while they are bravely exploring and finding out about their environment, their

caregiver is at hand to provide for them when they get tired, hungry, or afraid.

A good attachment to the primary caregiver tends to result in a confident, well-

nourished and healthy child who is unafraid of trying new things, who reaches out to

others willingly, and who demonstrates affection and new attachments to others.

Loss of attachment

If the mother is unable to meet her child's survival needs in some way, whether from

the start of life, or during a transitionary period, the effects on that child may be loss

of confidence, difficulty reaching out and communicating with people – in fact,

difficulty making attachments – and they can sometimes withdraw inwardly,

communicating outwardly less often and with less ableness.

Mental health effects

Anxiety and stress when faced with new situations, new foods, and new people are

connected to the lack of confidence, and can be regarded as an effect of a negative

relationship. A child with a poor attachment to their main caregiver may be less able

to cope with transitions, and may therefore show signs of anxiety that may be quite

overwhelming to them.

Physical effects

There can also be physical effects of a loss of attachment with the main caregiver,

such as health needs that are related to malnourishment or poor diet, and similar.

These types of effect can also be seen in the physical development of a child, where

they may not grow at the rate expected by the standard measurements, or they may

become very thin or obese.

If a child begins to change physically during a transition, either gaining or losing a lot

of weight, becoming ill or withdrawn, it may suggest that their primary attachment

has been damaged in some way. Sometimes parents have so much going on with

their lives during a transitionary period that they themselves become overwhelmed

and unable to deliver the kind of support the child needs to get through it with them.

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Why attachments can be disrupted

Inability to meet a child's survival needs can be through the caregiver's own

transitions, mental illness, drug misuse, dysfunctional relationships, and stress, but

there are likely to be many other convoluted reasons why this can happen. It isn't

likely to be on purpose in most cases, but the lack of, or disruption to an attachment

during a transition can be identified by people external to the family unit, such as

professionals at school and social workers, and is a cause for concern.

The role of the teacher and support staff at school

Teachers and support staff are in a very strong position to reinforce good aspects of

the attachment role, and can help to contain the types of anxiety and stress that a

transitioning child may go through. By reading the signals given them by children,

and interpreting them correctly, a teacher can respond sensitively to the child's

needs. Simply instructing them to 'pull themselves together' suggests a lack of

sensitivity, and will solve no issues at all. Someone under stress of any kind is likely

to desire the ability to pull themselves together, and if they could, they would!

Helping pupils struggling with transitioning

For example, an overwhelmed pupil who has difficulties at home may display

challenging behaviour in the form of class disruption, tantrums, and destruction.

However, punishing her for these things avoids dealing with the problem at its root,

and a teacher or classroom assistant working to support the child through a difficult

time might be more successful in talking with the pupil, drawing her out privately, and

having a discussion that seeks to find out what the issues are, rather than trying to

stop the behaviour happening again.

Providing opportunities to talk about the transition, the way a child feels about things,

and suggesting strategies that could make things easier for them are all good ways

to support them, and this in itself, demonstrates the sort of thing that a positive

relationship should bring about.

Other ways in which a school can help a child make a transition is, for example,

through taking them to visit a new school or a new classroom, demonstrating

activities before the class does them, and even liaising with older pupils who have

already been through the transition (such as moving up a class) so that relationships

are built up prior to the transition event. Relationships built up at school cannot fully

take the place of a good attachment at home, but they can back up that attachment,

and strengthen the child's resilience to change and transition.

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