Attachment Consultation and Education Service (ACES)
Who is Eligible for the Service?
Welcome to the Attachment Consultation and Education Service Clinic at CPRI. ACES serves children from birth up to the age of 11 who have been diagnosed, or are strongly suspected to have, an Attachment Disturbance or Reactive Attachment Disorder. Basic inclusion criteria for children who are appropriate for ACES are as follows:
- History of early pathogenic care (please see Attachment Disturbances and Disorders link). This can include abuse, neglect, parent illness or loss, multiple moves, and other disruptions, including hospitalizations and institutionalization.
- Ongoing social difficulties and/or significant caregiver-child relationship problems.
- Significant concerns about the quality of the caregiver-child relationship and/or relationship stability.
- Associated social-emotional and/or behavioural concerns may be evident BUT in and of themselves are not indicative of an Attachment Disturbance or Disorder.Please click on the links below to be directed to the appropriate section of our site.
What is Attachment?
Attachment Disturbances and Disorders
ACES Services
The Circel of Security®Parent Course
Resources While You're Waiting
Who Do We Not See?
We cannot offer services for:
- Difficulties that can be primarily accounted for by another mental health, developmental, or neurological problem (e.g., Pervasive Development Disorder, bipolar disorder, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder).
- Relational problems that are more minor in nature and/or not a function of early pathogenic care or relational disruption (e.g., parent-child conflict around limit setting, child adjustment to separation or divorce).
- Referrals for Parenting Capacity or Custody and Access assessments.
We also do not offer:
- Counselling that is available within the community.
- “Attachment Therapies” without empirical validation (e.g., holding therapies, other unorthodox approaches or “specialized” treatments).