AAIMH SA Event
Dr Tommie Forslund
Workshop 1: Attachment – Contemporary Research Evidence & Application Across Professional Settings
Monday 27 July 2026
9.00 am – 4.30 pm
About the workshop
Attachment theory has become highly influential across infant mental health, child protection, health care, education, and family services.
At the same time, attachment concepts are often simplified or used in ways that are not fully consistent with contemporary research
evidence. This workshop will provide an updated overview of attachment theory and research, with a particular focus on how attachment
knowledge can be used responsibly and constructively in applied settings. Drawing on current attachment research, evidence-based
attachment interventions, and work on attachment theory in legal and welfare contexts, the workshop will examine how attachment-informed
perspectives can support infants, young children, parents, foster carers, and families, while avoiding overinterpretation or unsupported
claims.
Workshop 2: Supporting Neurodiverse Parents and Their
Young Children: Research, Context, & Evidence-Informed Practice
Tuesday 28 July 2026
9.00 am – 4.30 pm
About the workshop
Neurodiverse parents, including parents with intellectual disability, ADHD, and autistic parents, are often overrepresented in child welfare
and support systems, yet professional understanding remains limited. This workshop will present contemporary research concerning caregiving,
child development, contextual adversity, and parenting support in families headed by neurodiverse parents. Drawing on longitudinal
studies, observational research, interview studies, systematic reviews, and intervention research, the workshop will examine both strengths
and vulnerabilities within these families. Particular attention will be given to caregiving behaviour (e.g. parental sensitivity and
mentalizing), child development (e.g., attachment security, socio-emotional development) and the substantial heterogeneity among both
parents and children. The workshop will also focus on the central role of contextual factors that influence caregiving and child
development, including poverty, social isolation, and parental exposure to maltreatment and abuse, highlighting the importance of holistic
models that move beyond parents’ cognitive functioning alone. The workshop will further discuss evidence-informed parenting support
and the importance of accessible, relationship-focused services for neurodiverse families. Throughout the day, the workshop will
emphasize how professionals can support neurodiverse parents and their children through approaches that are evidence-informed, trauma-aware,
and sensitive to families’ broader social contexts.
About the Presenter
Tommie Forslund, PhD, is a psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at Uppsala University. His research focuses on attachment theory, early caregiving relationships, children’s socioemotional development, and the application of attachment research and assessments in professional practice, particularly within social work and child welfare contexts. Dr Forslund has published empirical studies on attachment quality and children’s development, professionals’ understanding and use of attachment theory, and the use of attachment theory in court documentation. He also contributes actively to knowledge dissemination, including organising the international consensus statement regarding the use of attachment theory in child protection and custody proceedings, titled Attachment Goes to Court. He is a certified coder of attachment patterns using both the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) and the Separation Anxiety Test (SAT), and has taught attachment coding and assessment in professional training settings. He has also published two books: Attachment Theory and Research: A Reader and The Psychology of Attachment.
Event Details
Adelaide Pavilion, Veale Gardens
corner South Terrace & Peacock Road, Adelaide
27–28 July 2026 • 9.00 am – 4.30 pm
Download pdf flyer here for
instructions on registration and payment.
Enquiries re training: Sally Watson satrainingcoordinator@aaimh.org.au
Enquiries re payment and/or registration Thomas Luke – satraining@aaimh.org.au
