Young Children in Brief Separation (5 Parts)

Synopsis

Five complementary films on the influence of variables including age, level of maturity, previous parent-child relationships, strange environment, and quality of substitute care upon the responses of healthy young children to separation from the mother lasting nine to 27 days.
1 (1969): John, 17 months, for nine days in a residential nursery. Because of the system of fragmented care, John’s cues for attention are not recognised and his mothering needs are not met. He becomes increasingly distressed and withdrawn, and when his mother comes to take him home he rejects her.
2 (1968): Jane, 17 months, in foster care for 10 days. She forms a strong attachment to the foster mother and continues to function well. Appropriate care holds separation anxiety at a manageable level. At reunion she returns warmly to her mother, but because of her immaturity has difficulty in weaning from the substitute mother.
3 (1976): At the age of 21 months, Lucy is in foster care for 19 days, because her mother is in hospital to have a second baby. The Robertsons foster her and meet her needs to the best of their ability; routines are kept familiar. There are episodes of anxiety and resistive behaviour, but within the context she manages well. Although Lucy returns happily to her mother there is the problem that she has become very attached to the foster mother. Mother and foster-mother co-operate to help her work through it.
4 (1971): Thomas, 2 years 4 months, in foster care for 10 days. A robust, mature, highly verbal child, Thomas carries a clear memory of the absent mother. Although he needs the attentions of the substitute mother he is conflicted about accepting them as if feeling disloyal to the mother he loves, makes a very good reunion and appropriately discards the substitute mother.
5 (1967): Kate, a lively, talkative child of 2 years 5 months, in foster care for 27 days. Being older and more mature than Jane, Kate has greater understanding of her situation, can talk about her absent mother and anticipate reunion. Although under increasing stress as the separation becomes extended, adequate substitute mothering holds her in a state of ‘manageable anxiety’ and she reunites warmly with her mother. As a function of maturity she has no problem of weaning from the substitute mother.*

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Film; Video; Film. 16mm. sd. b&w. 43, 37, 31, 39, 33 min. Videocassette. Standard formats. b&w. 43, 37, 31, 39, 33 min.

Technical information

Black-and-white / Sound

Year of production

1976

Availability

Hire (film or video)
Sale (video only)

Documentation

Accompanying 40-page teaching guide.

Subjects

Psychology

Keywords

babies; foster care

Credits

Producer

James Robertson; Joyce Robertson

Contributor

Joyce Robertson

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£330.00

Availability

Sale

Year

2013

Type

Film

Format

16mm

Sections

Title

John

Synopsis

1 (1969): John, 17 months, for nine days in a residential nursery. Because of the system of fragmented care, John's cues for attention are not recognised and his mothering needs are not met. He becomes increasingly distressed and withdrawn, and when his m

Title

Jane

Synopsis

2 (1968): Jane, 17 months, in foster care for 10 days. She forms a strong attachment to the foster mother and continues to function well. Appropriate care holds separation anxiety at a manageable level. At reunion she returns warmly to her mother, but bec

Title

Lucy

Synopsis

3 (1976): At the age of 21 months, Lucy is in foster care for 19 days, because her mother is in hospital to have a second baby. The Robertsons foster her and meet her needs to the best of their ability; routines are kept familiar. There are episodes of an

Title

Thomas

Synopsis

4 (1971): Thomas, 2 years 4 months, in foster care for 10 days. A robust, mature, highly verbal child, Thomas carries a clear memory of the absent mother. Although he needs the attentions of the substitute mother he is conflicted about accepting them as i

Title

Kate

Synopsis

5 (1967): Kate, a lively, talkative child of 2 years 5 months, in foster care for 27 days. Being older and more mature than Jane, Kate has greater understanding of her situation, can talk about her absent mother and anticipate reunion. Although under incr

Production Company

Name

Robertson Centre

Sponsor

Name

Tavistock Institute of Human Relations

Distributor

Name

Concord Media

Email

sales@concordmedia.org.uk

Web

http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/ External site opens in new window

Phone

01473 726 012

Address

Rosehill Centre
22 Hines Road
Ipswich
IP3 9BG

Notes

A long-established, not-for-profit organisation with a large collection DVDs, specialising in the sectors of general and mental health, child care, race relations, war and peace, addictions, the third world, ecology, civil rights, personal relationships, educational issues, and social work training. Concord also handles titles made for the Graves Medical Audio-visual Library. Sale on DVD. Formerly known as Concord Video and Film Council. In 2014 Concord began to offer selected films as Video on Demand, via Vimeo.