Understanding the complexity of attachment and child development

Dr Tommie Forslund is a Swedish developmental psychologist and researcher with a specialised focus in infant and child mental health and parenting, whose work has international influence. In this episode, he unpacks current understandings of attachment theory and child development, including what children need for optimal development and which domains of development are most important to consider.  

Tommie discusses how shifting our focus from individual relationships to attachment networks can improve long-term outcomes for children; the importance of supporting a child’s entire network; and how careful use of research findings can guide clinical practice and policy change.  

• Explore of our range of free courses, fact sheets, videos and more on understanding infant and child development. 
• Complete our free infant mental health learning pathway to learn practical strategies for supporting the wellbeing of infants, toddlers and their families. 
• Hear from parents, young people and leading child mental health experts on how we can improve outcomes for Australian children and families. 

In this episode, you will learn about:  

• what influences the quality of children’s attachment relationships [03:30] 

• current understanding about the importance of attachment networks [04:20] 

• how children’s development is shaped by more than just their relationships [09:58] 

• how attachment and development research can influence policy and program design [14:56] 

• the need to consider individual child characteristics when considering group-based research outcomes [24:00] 

Further information and resources 

• Understanding infant and child development (resource collection) 

• Supporting infants with developmental differences (podcast) 

• What are the social determinants of health? (resource collection)