ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author discusses Estela Welldon’s work in the light of research that has appeared since the publication of her 1988 book. In child protection cases most local authorities use a Framework of Needs Assessment that is based on attachment evidence, but the focus of the assessment is on the child. If a mother neglects or rejects her baby, this may lead to insecure avoidant attachment in the child; if the mother smothers or intrudes into her baby’s emotional space, then the baby may develop an insecure ambivalent attachment style. The author shows that there is extensive empirical evidence that supports Estela’s original contention that the roots of child maltreatment by women lie in those women’s early experiences of maternal care. In conclusion, the author argues that we need more therapeutic services for women who harm their children, and she discusses some existing possibilities.
