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I haven't had any children with really severe problems, but I've had placements that were previously abused and distrustful of adults, defiant, and highly anxious and 'needy'.
A few books I have found helpful are:
'Attaching in Adoption' by Gray
'Theraplay : Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play' by Ann M. Jernberg
'Healing Trust' by Thomas
'Building the Bonds of Attachment : Awakening Love in Deeply Troubled Children' by Hughes
The Theraplay book has appendices that list activities to build attachment, so if you can't bear to read it (it is a very dull book to read, even tho it is full of excellent information) it is worth checking out for that (it is very expensive, my local library managed to borrow it from a university).
I don't remember exactly how many activities are involved in building attachment, but I think they include Movement, Laughter, Eye contact, Touch, etc. So swinging a kid around in the air (if it doesn't scare them) is an attachment building activity. Bottle feeding (with eye contact) a child something sweet is a good attachment building activity (I thought it would seem weird with a 7 yr old, but it didn't seem weird because the children I've had were very happy to be babied). Face to face games that get giggly are good, I've found batting a balloon back and forth in the kitchen sufficient to get some major hilarity and pee-in-your-pants-laughter going. Wrestling is good (probably not for a seriously 'damaged' child, but for normal needy abused kids it seems good).
The most important detail that I learned, is to show love for the child with your eyes when you look at them.
Also, Love and Logic parenting makes it possible to stay calm enough to do the attachment parenting.
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