What’s Love Got to Do With it? – Love in Residential child care

– by Niamh Miller

My own experiences of working in residential child care have led me to develop a keen interest in the dynamics of a worker’s relationship with a young person. At Nether Johnstone House, the concept of love is incorporated in all aspects of our practice. By utilising a relationship-based approach to inform our practice, we enable meaningful attachments to be made on a daily basis. Love is an extremely complex emotion that has been studied over the years by multiple psychologists. The word love is often associated with romantic relationships and can often have sexual connotations; therefore, it is scarcely used within professional relationships. Loving relationships are vital to establishing positive emotional wellbeing as humans. Strong connections between two humans help navigate our stressors, solve problems and overcome any challenges that we are faced with. For children and young people who have experienced significant trauma, experiencing love is even more read more