“Am I safe with you?” – Understanding the Role of Attachment in Homelessness Support

This course is for anyone supporting people affected by homelessness. Together, we will explore how psychological ideas—especially attachment theory—can help us better understand client behaviours and build stronger, more trusting relationships.

Why Understanding Attachment Matters

In a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE), the relationship between support workers and clients is at the heart of meaningful change. Every interaction is a chance to build trust, model healthy relating, and support individuals to better understand and manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.

Attachment theory helps us make sense of how early relationships shape the way people connect, regulate emotions, and seek (or avoid) support. Many clients have experienced relationships that felt unsafe, inconsistent, or traumatic. As a result, they may find it difficult to trust, fear rejection, or struggle to manage emotions in relationships.

An understanding of attachment can help us foster relationships that are emotionally validating, predictable, and grounded in mutual respect. It is not about rescuing or fixing—it is about providing steady, boundaried support that gives clients the safe space to build trust and explore new ways of relating.

It also helps us reframe what might otherwise be seen as “challenging” behaviour. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this person?”, we can ask, “What have they learned about relationships—and how can we respond in a way that supports change safely and compassionately?”. 

By reframing these behaviours through a psychological lens, we can begin to see them not as personal attacks or signs that we are failing in our role, but as expressions of unmet needs, fear, or mistrust. A psychologically-informed approach moves us beyond managing behaviour and towards relational work that promotes safety, resilience, and long-term growth. 

What to Expect from This Course

Throughout the course, we will use practical examples from frontline homelessness support to ground psychological theory in everyday practice. This is not about adding extra work—it is about seeing daily interactions through a new lens.

We Will Explore Six Key Topics:

1. An Introduction to Attachment
   The foundations of attachment theory and why it matters in frontline work.
2. Development of Individual Differences in Attachment
   How early relational experiences shape our internal world and impact the patterns we develop in later relationships.
3. Attachment and Emotion Regulation
   How attachment can shape emotional regulation and the ability to cope with distress.
4. Working with Clients with Insecure Attachment
   Supporting people who, due to past experiences, may find relationships difficult.
5. The Role of the Therapeutic Relationship
   How building strong, trusting relationships with clients can create the foundation for meaningful change.
6. Our Role in Clients’ Experiences
   How our responses can either reinforce or repair unhelpful relational patterns—and what this means for our work.

Course Features

✅ Quick quiz at the end to consolidate learning and encourage reflection.

Let’s get started!