Teachers can be great allies in keeping your child with Reactive Attachment Disorder safe and successful in school, but you'll need to make sure they have all the knowledge they need to help. Use these suggestions to create a information packet to bring educators up to speed.

Five Things Teachers Need to Know

1. Please do not hug or show special affection to my child. She needs to understand that those things are for family first.

2. My child may tell stories about things that happen in our family that are not true. Please consult me before acting on them.

3. My child can be very manipulative. For your own protection, do not allow yourself to be taken in.

4. My child is loved by his family; the precautions we are taking are to ensure his safety and emotional health, and the family stability required to provide that.

5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My child needs all the adults in her life working together.

Printouts to Share with Teachers

School Interventions
Source: Attachment Disorder Maryland

An Open Letter to Educators Who Work With Students Who Have Been Diagnosed With Reactive Attachment Disorder or Have Suffered Early Trauma
Source: The Attachment Institute of New England

 

The Dog Ate My Homework": School Issues with the Youth or Teen with Attachment Issues
Source: MN Adopt

Fact Sheet for the Classroom(pdf)
Source: Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health

Articles for Teachers: Consequences
Source: Nancy Thomas

 

How to use this material
More teacher information