Testimonials
The Meaning of the Child Interview is the most important development in the field of attachment and caregiving since the Adult Attachment Interview.Dr Steve Farnfield, course founder, Attachment Studies postgraduate programme, University of Roehampton, co-editor The Routledge Handbook of Attachment
Ben Grey's book offers a major contribution to our understanding of the attachment relationships between parents and children and is a substantial innovation for the field. If there is one book on attachment theory you purchase this year, make it this one!
Rudi Dallos, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Plymouth, author of Attachment Narrative Therapy and Don't Blame the ParentsThe significance and reach of this compassionate and leading-edge approach to the assessment of parenting in child and family welfare practice is seen in this hugely informative, engaging and practical handbook.
Arlene Vetere, Professor Emeritus of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, VID Specialized University, OsloAs a child protection social worker, I found The Meaning of the Child Interview transformational. Through illuminating case examples, this book equips social workers with invaluable tools to enhance practice and truly help children and their families.
Richard Devine, Social Worker, co-host of the Relational Activism in Social Work PodcastOur current child protection contexts often let down both families and practitioners, setting up both to fail. The Meaning of the Child Interview provides a meaningful alternative to current practice; it is a gift to those working with families facing adversity.
Dr Lizette Nolte, Research Lead, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of HertfordshireThis book is essential and powerful reading for social workers, therapists and psychologists. It will rightly play a part in shifting the assessment narrative on attachment to understanding and hope rather than blame and failure.
Barry Tilzey, Assistant Director, CAFCASSBen Grey harnesses the rich potential of the field of attachment research, moving beyond its tendency to obsess about types of individual child or adult insecurity. His work instead focuses on understanding relationships in their social environment.
Robbie Duschinsky, Professor of Social Science and Health, University of CambridgeExploring the origins and nature of these meanings becomes the shared purpose of both practitioner and parent, leading to safer and better relationships between caregivers and their children.
David Howe, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, University of East AngliaBen Grey has not only succeeded in offering a compassionate and context-sensitive approach to understanding parent-child relationships, but also in elegantly charting an attachment-informed approach to qualitative analysis.
Dr Mark Hudson, Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of NottinghamA sensitive, nuanced, and practical means of developing a deeper understanding of caregiver processes, bridging the research-practitioner divide. This book is the definitive guide to this assessment practice.
Mick Cooper, Professor of Counselling Psychology, University of RoehamptonThe MotC should be seen as a fundamental assessment within child protection. It is one of the very few assessments able to consider how both the parent thinks and feels about their child and how the child makes them feel. It should be an assessment that every social worker working with children can readily utilise; it can make the difference in getting it right from wrong.
Barry Tilzey, Consultant Practice Development Lead, London Borough of WandsworthI have found the measure extremely useful in understanding the space between a parent and child, and have valued being able to discuss the results to think about the management of risk, but especially to develop a plan for therapeutic work. Their skills and experience have helped me make sense of the most complex cases.
Elaine Sullivan, Clinical Lead, Fostering and Adoption Service, Suffolk County CouncilThe Meaning of the Child Interview has proved to be one of the most powerful and informative clinical tools used in our clinical practice, and has helped make sense of some very complex cases.
Dr Emma Hunnisett, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Child and Family Psychology Clinic, NorwichThe MotC interview has given me a structured and focused assessment which has enabled me to explore the relationship between the parent and child. I cannot believe what wealth of information I have gathered using it.
Social Worker, Northern IrelandIt was really very positive and helpful in trying to move this case forward, because it had been there for years and things had just been going round and round in circles. We implemented the recommendations and we have positive outcomes for the children, which was the whole aim of the process.
Social Worker, Milton KeynesA powerful yet accessible tool that offers practitioners the insight into not only what kind of parents people are, but also why they do what they did. It is also wonderfully cost effective compared to many other assessment methods.
Fan Zhang, Assistant Psychologist, Psychology Clinic of East Anglia, and PhD student, University of RoehamptonIt has really opened things up. I have always had my doubts, my views, but this has given me a very clear picture about what is going on at home, and something to base my assessment on.
Social Worker, Milton KeynesThe MotC is incredibly helpful in our work with families, making sense of the strategies parents use to try to keep their child safe. Our team especially value the formulation model, linking parental defences to the family's wider context, so that interventions can be targeted, addressing parents' hopes and fears, and the deeper drivers of concerning behaviour.
Jen Swift, Social Work Team Leader, Southeast EnglandThe course was enlightening, and a very useful way to understand the parent-child relationship.
Sharina Moretti, Paediatric Occupational Therapist, Surrey and Hampshire