The Solihull Approach is a framework that supports emotional well-being and relationship-based practice. It helps adults understand and respond to children’s behaviour through the lens of containment, reciprocity, and behaviour as communication.
Containment: Containment helps us feel that our emotions are understood which helps us feel safe and listened to. Before babies are born they are ‘contained’ in the womb. This is physical containment. As the child grows they need to continue to feel safe, secure and understood ie contained. Naming and acknowledging the emotion that the child’s behaviour is demonstrating is an important element of this process. Parents/carers need to feel contained themselves in order to support their child.
Reciprocity: Reciprocity is an interaction between 2 people and happens in all relationships. This happens when you respond to your child. Reciprocity can be thought of like a tennis match. One person ‘serves’ and the other person ‘returns’ the ball. This will continue until one person misses or wants to stop the game and is a normal part of all interactions. It’s important to have an understanding of containment and reciprocity and how they can help your child’s development and your well being as a parent or caregiver. It is also important to understand how the brain continues to develop through childhood and teenage years.