About
ATTACh
The Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of
Children (ATTACh) is an international coalition of parents, professionals
and others working to increase awareness about attachment and
its critical importance to human development. Attachment, the
"give-and-take" relationship between a child and his
or her parents or primary caregiver is the foundation for a child's
healthy behavioral, social, emotional and neurological development.
A healthy attachment teaches a person to trust and to form healthy
relationships throughout his or her life. Children with attachment
disorder typically are unable to trust or form healthy relationships
with their parents or others.
A
501(c )(3) nonprofit organization, ATTACh was founded in 1989
by leaders in the children's mental health field to address critical
family and social needs related to attachment and bonding. ATTACh
is an advocate for clinical education, training, research, and
standards for safe and ethical practice. ATTACh also promotes
accurate diagnostic classifications in the mental health field,
generates public policy discussions and offers family support.
Membership in ATTACh is open to any therapist, parent or individual
interested in attachment issues.
ATTACh's
mission is to:
Inform and educate people about the importance of healthy attachment
for successful child, family and societal development.
Monitor and influence the use of effective and appropriate treatment
in cases where attachment has been adversely affected.
Be a supportive resource for professionals who provide services
to families and children with attachment difficulties
Influence public policy and the need for social change regarding
family-oriented issues that can affect the attachment process.
Such issues include family leave, child care, child custody, adoption,
foster care, early childhood illness and hospitalization, and
child management philosophies and techniques.
As an interdisciplinary membership organization, ATTACh respects
a diverse spectrum of therapies designed to build and/or strengthen
attachments and encourages research and collaboration on attachment
issues and treatment. ATTACh maintains standards of ethics and
practice that call for clinical and other professional members
to operate within their respective codes of ethics and non-clinical
members to exercise good judgment based on the best interest of
the child and family. The ATTACh Registration
Process further ensures parents and others that the professional
members listed agree to comply with ATTACh's Professional
Practice Manual, safety principals and basic assumptions about
attachment therapies. To qualify for registration, professionals
must submit a statement describing how they treat patients, as
well as copies of any professional licenses and certifications
they hold.
While
not a referral organization, ATTACh serves as a credible resource
for accurate, up-to-date information about attachment issues and
treatment options for parents and professionals. Information is
available through the membership newsletter Connections; at training
sessions and the Annual ATTACh Conference, and by calling 866-453-8224
(toll free).
