Art therapy with two sibling groups using an attachment framework

Abstract

The two case studies presented in this article concern two separate sibling groups of children, who were in care to a local authority. The reason for the children being in care was the failure of parents to keep them safe. In both cases the children were referred to look at their attachment relationship to each other, with a view to future long-term placement. What prompted the author to write up her findings was her keen interest in early attachment with regard to children in care, and the therapeutic benefits to be gained in considering this within an art therapy group context.

Mario Marrone (1998) writes that secure attachment within the first two years of a babys life will encourage sociability and healthy emotional development. Those children are more able to play symbolically and cooperate with others. Insecurely attached babies will show poor sociability, greater expression of anger and less emotional control. Keeping siblings together within an art therapy group context came about because of the demand to see several children from one family. Bowlby observed that siblings kept together, even when there is a negligible degree of substitute mothering, is found to be a factor of some significance and alleviates distress. This premise suggests therefore that if there was to be any significant improvement in the childrens relationship to each other, then it would be advantageous to keep these siblings together in therapy.