Infant and Pre-school Attachment & Applications in Family Law Contexts (in person)

A two-tier training opportunity in observing early childhood attachment to facilitate relational health in the face of family challenge.

Presented by Prof. Jenn McIntosh, PhD, AM

2026 workshops

*Attendance at day 2 requires attendance at day 1. Day 1 can be completed as a standalone workshop.

Unable to attend our available dates? Submit your expression of interest for future professional learning and development opportunities.

What will you learn

Day 1: Observing Infant & Pre-school Attachment: Foundational Skills for Practitioners

Provides a primer for all practitioners on the functions of attachment in infancy and the pre-school years, and essential observational skills for accurately interpreting attachment behaviours. Extensive film footage is shown to illustrate the core behaviours that typify secure, anxious, ambivalent and disorganised attachments. The MERTIL resources give practical “ways in” to enabling families to build and repair foundations of attachment trust, especially in the face of challenge. The workshop will build confidence in observing attachment in very young children and in supporting attachment health in families with prior experiences of trauma. 

Day 2: Applying Attachment Theory and Observation in Family Law Contexts

Provides a primer for all practitioners (social science and legal) working with separated or divorced parents. The knowledge from Day 1 is applied to case-based assessment and recommendation making, in court and community family law contexts. Psychoeducational resources provide practical scaffolding for talking with separated parents about maintaining or recovering attachment health with their young child, in the context of living separately. Special contexts are considered, including family violence. Beyond supporting parents, the workshop addresses systemic barriers and constraints to attachment health in the family law system and equips participants across legal and helping professions to coordinate in enabling developmentally sound care for young children in separation.

Cost

This workshop is delivered in-person at The Bouverie Centre in Brunswick.

Day 1: $340 (incl. GST)

Day 1 & 2: $675 (incl. GST)

Who should attend

Day 1: Suitable for all practitioners working with families of young children.

Day 2: Suitable for all practitioners working with separated families with young children.

Prior knowledge

Attending the Observing Infant & Pre-school Attachment: Foundational Skills for Practitioners (Day 1) workshop is a pre-requisite to attending this workshop (Day 2).

Training at your workplace

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