Maternal Attachment Analysis

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Becoming a parent during one’s teenage years is a life changing event. As teen pregnancy began to increase, social policies and practices also began to transform. The greatest change occurred within the welfare reform act known as PRWORA in 1996. If the “teen moms” voices were acknowledged during this reform; the policy would have included strength based practices. For example, the consensus is that six weeks maternity leave is not enough. Mother’s felt that their bonds with the child were not strong enough. Breaking the maternal attachment too early has a negative impact on the family structure. I imagine the first policy revision would be to increase the allowable maternity leave by three weeks. The strict guidelines and s To change the social work practices, I believe that a holistic approach would be implemented. Services would include psychological, educational and employment support. Individuals would also be evaluated and provided services based on their circumstances. For example, the policy requires teens to remain living with a parent/guardian to receive benefits. What …show more content…

I initially learned of “attachment theory” during a child development course. My understanding is that “attachment” outlines the psychological bond between a person and their caregiver. The caregiver is identified as either maternal or a substitute. If strong connections are not established, deprivation can occur. Often times, emotional development is damaged creating behavioral issues. This form of emotional disconnection interferes with developing and maintaining structured relationships. The “attachment” theory increases my ideas and skills on how to enhance services provided to children and youth. I genuinely believe that I have the love, empathy, and concern to act as a substitute while

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