In protective settings (residential centers, foster care, etc.), minors have experienced disruptions, losses, and trauma. In this setting, the emotional bond with professionals becomes a powerful therapeutic tool. But, How to build it without becoming over-involved?
Attachment as the basis of intervention, without falling into overinvolvement
Children and adolescents need stable figures that transmit security to them.The professional can become an emotional point of reference that partially repairs damaged bonds. This requires presence, consistency, and authenticity.
Keys to building a healthy bond
- Emotional stability of the professional: to care for in order to care.
- Clear and affective limits: The child needs to know how far he can go without feeling rejected.
- Constant emotional validation: “I understand how you feel” can be more powerful than any technique.
- Quality timeshare: Not everything is about direct intervention; playing, cooking, or just being together also builds bonds.
Risks of overinvolvement when working with minors
- Emotional burnout.
- Role confusion.
- Emotional dependence of the minor.
The balance is being an available adult, not a savior. In many cases, children in protective settings have developed defense mechanisms such as distrust, emotional avoidance, or aggression. These behaviors should not be interpreted as resistance, but rather as survival strategies.
Grasp allows the professional to maintain the bond Even when the child challenges them, without taking it personally. Working with the bond also involves a constant review of the professional's own emotional world. Countertransference—the emotions that the child evokes in the adult—can be a source of information, but also a risk if not managed properly. Clinical supervision and teamwork are essential tools for maintaining the quality of the bond without compromising the professional's well-being.
Furthermore, the bond is not built only in moments of crisis or direct intervention. Small everyday gestures —remembering an important date, respecting a preference, sharing a laugh—are what build trust. In contexts where everything has been unstable, the consistency and predictability of an adult are deeply restorative.
Bonding isn't an accessory to the intervention; it's its heart. Cultivating it with awareness, boundaries, and affection can make a difference in a child's life.
Would you like to delve deeper into the area of mediation with minors? Request information about the Postgraduate in Intervention with Minors with EIM and start your professional career today.
