How We Work
Circle of Security
Circle of Security is an attachment-based parenting programme designed to help parents understand what their child needs at an emotional level — and feel more confident, more connected, and less overwhelmed in the parent-child relationship.
Attachment-based · Parenting support · Evidence-based · Creswick, Brisbane & Online
What Is Circle of Security?
Understanding what your child really needs
Developed by Drs Cooper, Hoffman, Marvin, and Powell, Circle of Security is one of the most widely used and researched attachment-based parenting programmes in the world. It helps parents see the world through their child's eyes — understanding when a child needs to explore independently, and when they need to come back for comfort and connection.
The programme uses a simple but powerful map — the Circle — to show the two fundamental needs of every child: the need to go out and explore the world with a parent as a safe base, and the need to come back to the parent as a safe haven when distressed. When parents can read and respond to these needs reliably, children develop security and emotional regulation.
At Bloom, Circle of Security is delivered in individual sessions, allowing the programme to be tailored to your specific family situation, your child, and your own history as a parent. It is appropriate for parents of children from birth through early adolescence.
Circle of Security can help with
- ✓Understanding your child's behaviour and emotional cues
- ✓Building a secure attachment with your child
- ✓Managing your own emotional reactions as a parent
- ✓Children showing anxiety, clinginess, or withdrawal
- ✓Parenting after trauma or difficult early experiences
- ✓Navigating separation and reunion with confidence
- ✓Parenting neurodivergent children
- ✓Post-natal adjustment and new parenthood
The Programme
What Circle of Security looks like
Understanding the Circle
You'll learn the Circle of Security map — a visual tool that shows your child's need to explore (the top of the circle) and to come back for connection (the bottom). This simple framework is often immediately illuminating.
Watching and wondering
A key part of the programme involves observing your child and practicing 'wondering' about their inner world — what they might be feeling or needing. This curiosity builds the reflective capacity that is central to secure attachment.
Repairing and growing
No parent is perfectly responsive all the time, and Circle of Security is not about perfection. It places significant emphasis on repair — the ability to reconnect after a rupture — as one of the most important things parents can offer.
Available locations
FAQ
Common questions about Circle of Security
My child has been diagnosed with anxiety — is Circle of Security appropriate?
Yes. Circle of Security can be a helpful complement to direct work with an anxious child. Supporting the parent-child relationship often has a significant positive impact on children's anxiety, as children co-regulate through their caregivers.
Do both parents need to attend?
While it can be beneficial for both caregivers to participate, Circle of Security can be done with just one parent and still have a meaningful impact on the family. Your therapist will discuss the best format for your situation.
Is this programme suitable for grandparents or kinship carers?
Absolutely. Circle of Security is relevant for any adult in a primary caregiving role with a child. The principles apply regardless of the specific relationship structure.
Ready to Begin?
Ready to strengthen your relationship with your child?
Book an appointment or reach out with any questions. We'll help you find the right therapist and the right approach.