Attachment refers to a lasting psychological connection between individuals. John Bowlby, the founder of attachment theory, argued that forming attachments is fundamental to human development. Infants have an innate attachment system that drives them to form deep emotional bonds and seek closeness to their primary caregivers. People are biologically programmed to seek close relationships and turn to supportive others in times of need. 

• This promotes survival by enhancing safety.
• It aims to create felt security, supporting emotion regulation—the ability to understand and respond to emotions in effective ways—as well as the confidence to explore the world and form new relationships.
• Attachment patterns, starting to form throughout childhood, continue to influence relationships across the lifespan.

Early experiences of care shape our beliefs about:

The Self:
 – Am I lovable? Am I worthy of care and attention?
Others:
 – Can I trust others to be reliable, supportive, and available?

These beliefs affect how we think, feel, and behave in relationships throughout life.

💡 In practice: Many people experiencing homelessness have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences in early life. This affects how they relate to others, including us as service providers.

What Are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?

• ACEs include experiences of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.
• Strongly associated with poorer physical and mental health throughout the lifespan.

Trauma is common among the populations served by health and social care services, with high rates reported across various sectors:

• Juvenile offenders: 75% have experienced trauma; up to 50% meet criteria for PTSD (Ko et al., 2008).
• Male prisoners: 41% report poly-victimisation—which means experiencing multiple types of victimisation or trauma—and 22% have experienced sexual trauma (Facer-Irwin et al., 2021).
• Adults experiencing homelessness: 88% were maltreated in childhood; 46% experienced sexual abuse (Song et al., 2018).

⚠️Trauma affects the way in which people approach potentially helpful relationships.