Nursery school children adaptation in the context of attachment theory: Experiences of preschool institutions in the region of srem

Abstract

In preschool institutions every year we are facing adaptation of children aged 12 to 36 months to nursery school. Even though children and parents are prepared and a special adaptation program is applied, we encounter various intensities of separation distress that could not be foreseen. Viewing entry to nursery school in relation to attachment theory, there is a possibility of early identification of individual differences in adaptation of children on the basis of mother-child relationship quality, as well as answering the questions of: transferring attachment from mother to caregiver; compensating negative outcomes of insecure attachment to mother through secure attachment to caregiver; capacities of young, nursery school children to form multiple relationships; reorganizing attachment figures hierarchy and providing high quality institutional support during preschool that is essential to forming secure relationships. In general, this paper is aimed at finding diverse opportunities in nursery school adaptation process for supporting psycho-social development of children on the basis of attachment theory.