Foster Care Training

Because so much of human brain development occurs after birth, the attachment relationships between an infant and his/her primary caregivers profoundly shape the infant’s capacities. This especially includes the capacity for affect regulation (management of feelings), which is the basis of emotional stability and social competence. The intergenerational transmission of healthy or problematic relationship capacities occurs in the daily interactions of infancy. We will look at attachment in both young children and adults, including the effect of responsive parenting, trauma or neglect on the developing brain. Drawing on the work of Allan Schore, we will explore the role of the right hemisphere and affect regulation in infancy and in helping relationships.