Circle of Security

What is Circle of Security?

The Circle of Security is an attachment-based parenting program designed to help parents and caregivers strengthen their relationship with their child and promote emotional security. At KCPsych, we use the Circle of Security approach to help parents understand their child’s emotional needs, develop a secure attachment, and create a supportive, nurturing environment for their child’s development. By enhancing the parent-child relationship, the program fosters healthy emotional, social, and psychological growth.

How does Circle of Security work?

The Circle of Security model is based on the concept that children thrive when they feel secure in their relationship with their caregivers. The program focuses on helping parents recognise and respond to their child’s emotional needs, build trust, and create a secure base from which the child can explore the world. The "Circle" refers to the secure relationship between parent and child, which includes both moments of comfort and connection, as well as moments of exploration and independence.

At KCPsych, our Circle of Security facilitators work with parents to:

• Understand your child’s emotional needs: Learn how to identify and respond to your child's needs for comfort, safety, and connection.
• Enhance emotional attunement: Increase your awareness of your child's emotional cues, helping you respond in ways that foster trust and security.
• Create a secure base: Develop a parenting approach that provides both support and independence, enabling your child to confidently explore the world.
• Foster self-regulation: Help your child learn to manage their emotions through a secure and responsive relationship.
• Strengthen the parent-child bond: Build a deeper, more trusting relationship with your child, promoting their emotional wellbeing and resilience.

What conditions can Circle of Security help with?

The Circle of Security approach is especially effective for children who may have experienced attachment disruptions, emotional distress, or behavioural challenges. It is also helpful for parents and caregivers who want to enhance their relationship with their child and promote secure attachment.

At KCPsych, we use the Circle of Security to help families with a variety of challenges, including:

• Attachment issues: Supports parents in fostering secure attachment and building trust with children, especially after early disruptions or challenges.
• Parenting difficulties: Helps parents better understand their child’s emotional needs and develop more effective parenting strategies.
• Behavioural concerns: Provides tools for addressing challenging behaviours, by improving the parent-child connection and emotional understanding.
• Emotional regulation: Supports parents in helping their child learn to manage big emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or frustration.
• Trauma and adversity: Helps children who have experienced trauma or difficult life experiences develop secure, trusting relationships with their caregivers.
• Separation or divorce: Assists children and parents in navigating emotional challenges during transitions, such as separation or divorce, by strengthening the parent-child bond.
  

The benefits of Circle of Security

At KCPsych, we’ve seen how the Circle of Security approach can create lasting positive changes in both parent and child’s emotional well-being and relationship.

Some key benefits of the Circle of Security include:

• Enhanced parent-child connection: Strengthens the bond between parent and child by improving emotional understanding and responsiveness.
• Increased emotional security: Children feel safer, more confident, and better able to explore the world when they feel securely attached to their caregivers.
• Improved parenting skills: Parents gain tools and strategies to better understand and respond to their child’s needs, promoting positive behaviour and emotional growth.
• Reduced behavioural issues: By building a more secure attachment, children often show a reduction in challenging behaviours and an increase in emotional regulation.
• Support for parents: The program offers support and guidance to parents, empowering them to feel more confident in their parenting role.
• Stronger emotional resilience: Both parents and children develop greater emotional resilience, enabling them to handle life’s challenges in a healthy, supportive way.

What to expect in a Circle of Security session

During a Circle of Security session at KCPsych, you will learn about the principles of attachment theory and how to apply them to your relationship with your child. The sessions focus on building a deeper understanding of your child’s emotional needs and developing strategies for responding to those needs in a positive, nurturing way.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Understanding your child’s needs: You’ll explore how your child’s emotional needs can be met through comfort, connection, and encouragement for independence.
• Parent-child interaction: The facilitator may guide you through exercises to help improve the emotional connection and communication between you and your child.
• Practical tools for parenting: You’ll learn concrete strategies for responding to your child’s emotional cues, strengthening the attachment, and improving emotional regulation.
• Reflective discussion: The facilitator will encourage open discussion about your parenting experiences and challenges, offering guidance on how to support your child’s emotional growth.
• Ongoing support: The program provides ongoing support for parents to help them implement the strategies learned and continue to strengthen their relationship with their child.

The Circle of Security is a relationship-focused approach, and we are here to guide and support you as you work to create a secure and nurturing environment for your child.

Is Circle of Security right for your family?

At KCPsych, we recognise that the Circle of Security program is particularly beneficial for families who want to strengthen their attachment with their child, improve parenting skills, and foster emotional security. If you’re a parent or caregiver struggling to understand your child’s emotional needs, or if you’re dealing with behavioural or emotional challenges, the Circle of Security approach may be the right fit for you. Our experienced facilitators will work with you to assess your family’s needs and create a personalised plan to promote secure attachment and emotional well-being for both you and your child.