Attachment & Education

Having a sense of belonging is so important to children and young people. So why do we interfere with it when it comes to education?

You’re called into a meeting at work. In the room are your boss, line manager, HR, and a member of the well-being team. They inform you that you'll be temporarily reassigned to a different site for the next 6 to 12 weeks. At this new location, you'll undergo some testing and monitoring to assess your progress. The meeting concludes with the instruction not to return to your current office. Instead, you're expected to report to the new site, dressed in their work attire, the following Monday.

Monday arrives, and despite your efforts, you haven't been able to acquire the correct work attire for the new office. You don’t know anyone at this location, nor have you been told whom to meet or what time to arrive. When you walk into the office, you ask where you're supposed to go. The receptionist tells you to sit and wait, as someone will come to collect you. Eventually, you're escorted through a maze of doors, meeting rooms, and corridors, until you reach a small room near the back of the building.

Inside, there are five other people. Three of them appear just as confused and uneasy as you. Two others seem more familiar with the environment, as if they've been through this before. You sit down next to one of the unsure-looking individuals. One of the more confident people approaches you and starts explaining that any mistakes here could lead to immediate dismissal and blacklisting from the company, barring you from ever returning.

Your anxiety spikes—you can’t afford to lose this job, especially since you’re not even sure why you're here. You think about leaving, but it’s too late. You're stuck here for the next 6 to 12 weeks.

I could elaborate further, but I hope you see the point. This kind of practice would never be acceptable in a workplace—so why do we think it’s appropriate for children? The scenario described mirrors how some schools manage moving a pupil to a different setting. While there are often valid reasons for this—some of which truly benefit the child—what’s never helpful is the lack of communication with the child throughout the process.

All too often, children are left in the dark, with no explanation as to why they are being relocated, even temporarily. This can have a significant emotional impact, especially for children with existing attachment or trauma-related needs.

Whenever educational professionals or parents/carers make the decision to move a child to a different provision, it’s crucial that the child is fully informed, understands the reasons behind the move, and is actively involved in the planning. It's also beneficial for staff from the child’s original school to visit regularly, helping the child maintain a sense of belonging and continuity during the transition.