Children need to develop trusting relationships with the important
figures in their lives in order to develop cognitively and emotionally.
Attachment Disorders develop when children have problems forming these
bonds. This may happen for a variety of reasons including trauma in the
family due to death or illness, the birth of a sibling, divorce, or adoption.
The Harris School (THS) aids children with Attachment Disorders in a
number of ways. The low teacher/student ratio allows the students to
form meaningful relationships with their teachers, helping them to feel
secure as their attachment to the teachers grows. Additionally, the Family
Consultants, licensed mental health professionals who consult with the
parents on a weekly basis, work with the parents and teachers to respond
to the needs of the students in ways that will help to strengthen the
attachments between children and their parents. Through positive, non-punitive
interactions with teachers, and in the weekly group therapy for the older
children, our students are helped to reflect on what has hampered their
efforts in previous schools, and are given the confidence to overcome
those issues and feelings. Parents may also meet together weekly in an
optional parent support group, where they can share their successes and
failures in a safe, understanding context.
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