The Attachment and Bonding Observation Checklists is a free, printable PDF tool created to support professionals in assessing the quality of attachment and relational bonding between children and their parents or caregivers. Designed for use by social workers, early help teams, family support workers, and other child-centred practitioners, this resource provides structured guidance for observing parent-child interactions across different age groups—from infancy to adolescence.
This professional tool is ideal for use during:
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Home visits and direct observations
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Child protection assessments
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Parenting capacity evaluations
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Early years and school-based interventions
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Therapeutic relationship-building work
Age-Specific Observation Areas Include:
Birth to One Year:
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Child’s emotional responses to caregiver presence, separation, and soothing
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Parent’s sensitivity to cues, warmth, and consistent caregiving
One to Five Years:
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Use of caregiver as a secure base, emotion regulation, and engagement in play
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Parental boundaries, emotional coaching, and responsive caregiving
Six to Eleven Years (Primary School Age):
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Child’s growing independence, communication, peer relationships, and confidence
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Parental support, praise, consistency, and guidance through challenges
Twelve to Eighteen Years (Adolescents):
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Adolescent expression of autonomy, connectedness, and emotional maturity
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Caregiver respect for independence, emotional availability, and appropriate boundary-setting
These checklists highlight behaviours associated with secure attachment and provide insights into relational strengths and areas of concern. They are intended to be used alongside professional judgement and within the context of each child’s developmental stage, lived experience, and unique needs.
Key Features:
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Easy-to-follow, developmentally appropriate indicators
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Supports trauma-informed assessments and strength-based practice
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Enhances early identification of relational difficulties
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Facilitates clear documentation in court reports, care plans, and family support work
Whether you are conducting a parenting assessment, working in safeguarding, or supporting a child through emotional or behavioural challenges, this tool will help ensure attachment quality and emotional connections are observed, understood, and supported.
