Looked after children have frequently experienced complex developmental trauma manifesting as behavioural, cognitive and emotional challenges and difficulties in forming secure relational attachments to caregivers. Nurturing Attachments training was developed specifically to support carers who are parenting such children. The present study reports on a mixed-methods evaluation of this programme, focusing particularly on its impact on carer self-efficacy and behavioural manifestations of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) which are common among looked after children, even if they are not formally diagnosed. Ten foster carers completed measures of self-efficacy and RAD before and after the training. A significant increase in carer self-efficacy was found but there was no overall change in levels of children's RAD-related behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore the reasons for this. They revealed three key themes: reflection on then and now; knowledge and understanding; and contact with birth parents. These demonstrated how, after training, foster carers were able to reflect on changes in their own behaviours and draw on new knowledge and understanding. However, contact with biological parents remained challenging and some children seemed to show increased RAD-type behaviours associated with this. Results are discussed in terms of implications for training foster carers.

中文翻译：

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培养依恋训练是否有效提高寄养者的自我效能感和减少被照顾儿童的反应性依恋障碍的表现？

被照看的儿童经常经历复杂的发育创伤，表现为行为、认知和情感方面的挑战，以及难以与照料者形成安全的关系依恋。培养依恋培训是专门为支持养育此类孩子的照顾者而开发的。本研究报告了对该计划的混合方法评估，特别关注其对照顾者自我效能和反应性依恋障碍 (RAD) 行为表现的影响，这些在被照顾的儿童中很常见，即使他们没有被正式诊断出来。十名寄养者在培训前后完成了自我效能和 RAD 的测量。发现看护者的自我效能显着提高，但儿童的 RAD 相关行为水平没有整体变化。进行了半结构化访谈以探讨其原因。他们揭示了三个关键主题：对过去和现在的反思；知识和理解; 并联系亲生父母。这些展示了在接受培训后，寄养者如何能够反思自己行为的变化并汲取新的知识和理解。然而，与亲生父母的联系仍然具有挑战性，一些儿童似乎表现出与此相关的 RAD 类型行为增加。结果讨论了对培训寄养者的影响。寄养者能够反思自己行为的变化，并汲取新的知识和理解。然而，与亲生父母的联系仍然具有挑战性，一些儿童似乎表现出与此相关的 RAD 类型行为增加。结果讨论了对培训寄养者的影响。寄养者能够反思自己行为的变化，并汲取新的知识和理解。然而，与亲生父母的联系仍然具有挑战性，一些儿童似乎表现出与此相关的 RAD 类型行为增加。结果讨论了对培训寄养者的影响。