Attachment theory provides a framework to understand the developmental significance of children’s relationships with adult caregivers. Research has largely focused on parent-child attachment, linking its quality to socioemotional and cognitive development. However, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environments are increasingly part of children’s early social experiences, positioning educators as key attachment figures.

Attachment theory identifies separations from caregivers as significant points to observe attachment quality. Accordingly, the ‘gold standard’ measure of mother-child attachment, the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP), uses brief separations and reunions to assess attachment quality. In ECEC, the possibility of assessing attachment is presented daily at drop-off where a naturally occurring departure between parent and child, and reunion between educator and child, occurs. In this presentation we explore a novel modification of the SSP coding procedure, assessing construct and convergent validity of its application to measuring child-educator attachment relationships within an ECEC setting.

Across nine ECEC centres, observations of 76 toddlers, their parents/guardians, and 31 educators were taken at drop-off. Educators and parents/guardians provided demographic details via surveys. Video observations of drop-off were coded using the modified SSP to assess child-educator attachment. Educator sensitivity was assessed using CLASS Toddler version. The Attachment Q-Sort (AQS) was conducted with 34 target children to assess quality of the attachment between a child and target educator.

In this presentation we discuss findings on the modified SSP coding method, comparing attachment behaviours and educator’s CLASS sensitivity scores to assess construct validity, and attachment behaviours and AQS scores to assess convergent validity. We propose directions for future research and discuss how findings relate to children’s developmental outcomes.

Sensory integration is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of cognitive and social development. Through nine studies, this dissertation advances knowledge in this field by investigating Sensitivity to Intersensory Synchrony in a sample of 396 children aged 3 to 5 years, including 305 neurotypical preschoolers, 55 with Developmental Language Disorder, and 36 with a history of Childhood Maltreatment. Sensitivity to Intersensory Synchrony underpins sensory integration by enabling detection of cross-modal redundancies through temporal proximity.

This research employed an eye-tracking preferential looking task with audiovisual speech stimuli to examine its profiles in both typical and atypical development, considering age-related changes and its malleability in response to different formats of perceptual training (single- and multiple-session). The training consisted of simple, playful, and engaging activities designed to actively involve children in experiencing and reproducing multisensory synchrony. The potential foundational role of Sensitivity to Intersensory Synchrony in fostering higher-order processes crucial for future developmental outcomes was also examined, focusing on its relation with Executive Functions, Self-Regulation, and Language.

The findings revealed a more refined Sensitivity to Intersensory Synchrony in typically developing preschoolers than previously reported, along with distinct patterns of alteration in each atypical group. Furthermore, the results highlighted the foundational role of Sensitivity to Intersensory Synchrony in shaping the development of the investigated higher-order processes. Malleability was evident across groups, with improvements observed even after a single training session. In typical development, multiple-session training appeared to promote bottom-up virtuous cycles, reinforcing Executive Functions and Self-Regulation by building on their embodied roots in intersensory synchrony perception. However, findings indicated a more complex and dynamic developmental framework than initially expected.

While additional research is needed to confirm and expand these insights, this dissertation provides an initial theoretical framework and a practical approach to strengthening foundational perceptual mechanisms, increasingly recognized as key determinants of long-term developmental outcomes.

Mental Health Literacy for Supporting Children (MHLSC) refers to adults’ knowledge and beliefs about mental health problems (MHP) in children, and is essential for their prevention, early recognition, reducing stigma, and promoting timely access to appropriate interventions and management. Understanding the levels of MHLSC among parents, particularly for specific childhood disorders such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), is crucial for designing targeted interventions to improve awareness and treatment uptake. Migrants in Australia often exhibit lower levels of mental health literacy compared to non-migrants, with engagement in support services hindered by factors such as stigma and cultural barriers. This study aims to: (1) compare MHLSC for ADHD and ODD in Bangladeshi Migrant parents, (2) examine differences in MHLSC across key domains—problem recognition, help-seeking attitudes, knowledge of interventions, self-help, and finding mental health information—between non-migrant and Bangladeshi migrant parents, and (3) investigate whether acculturation moderates MHLSC for ADHD and ODD among Bangladeshi migrant parents. The study hypothesizes that problem recognition, identification, and knowledge about interventions will be higher for ADHD than ODD; Bangladeshi migrant parents will demonstrate lower MHLSC compared to non-migrant parents; and higher levels of acculturation to Australian culture will be associated with greater MHLSC in Bangladeshi migrant parents. The study is ongoing, but preliminary analysis of the data suggests that MHLSC is lower among Bangladeshi migrant parents compared to Australian parents. These findings highlight the need for culturally informed strategies to enhance mental health literacy and improve access to mental health services in migrant communities.

In France, more than 381,000 children benefit from child welfare services, but only 38% of those requiring out-of-home care are placed with foster families (DRESS, 2024). In recent years, departments have struggled to recruit new foster carers. This lack of interest in the profession is partly explained by the sense of isolation reported by many professionals, especially when supporting children with severe disorders. In this context, developing innovative support methods to aid foster families and enhance children’s well-being is crucial.

Our study evaluates the effectiveness of the Attachment Video-feedback Intervention (AVI) among children and foster families in France. Based on attachment theory, the AVI uses video feedback to enhance the sensitivity of caregivers, thereby supporting children’s socio-emotional development (Moss et al., 2018). The study involved 40 children aged 18 months to 5 years and their foster parents, who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. To examine the effectiveness of the AVI, pre- and post-tests have been carried out for both study groups. Foster carers’ perceptions of self-efficacy were assessed using the General Scale of Parental Self-Efficacy Belief (EGSCP; Meunier & Roskam, 2009), while children’s behavior problems were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000).

This presentation will describe the implementation of the AVI program and present part of the research findings, suggesting that foster parents who participated in the AVI program reported greater confidence in their caregiving abilities, which in turn positively influenced the children's behavior problems. We will highlight the importance of these results in shaping recommendations for practice and public child protection policies. By providing foster parents with enhanced tools for understanding and responding to children's emotional needs, we hope to improve both the well-being of children and the sustainability of foster care placements.

Introduction
Childhood mental health disorders, particularly anxiety, are a global challenge, affecting millions of young people worldwide. In Czechia, the prevalence of mental heath disorders among children is comparable, yet access to specialised care remains limited. Parent intervention programmes have shown significant effectiveness in reducing childhood anxiety globally, offering a time-efficient solution. However, evidence-based parenting programmes are scarce in Czechia. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally adapted, group-based, parent-led cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention (Halldorsson et al., 2021), originally developed at the University of Oxford, within the Czech context.

Method
This RCT employs a mixed-methods design, enrolling over 200 parents of children with anxiety symptoms. Participants are randomised into intervention or control groups. 16 pairs of parent trainers, trained in the translated and adapted group parent-led CBT intervention, facilitate groups of 8–10 parents. Parents in the intervention arm complete a questionnaire battery at baseline, immediately post-intervention (6 weeks from randomisation), and at 3 months post-randomisation. Control group participants complete the same questionnaires at equivalent time points and are offered the intervention after 3 months, if desired. The primary outcome is the change in parent-reported child anxiety symptoms between groups from baseline to post-intervention. Secondary outcomes include child self-reported anxiety measures at baseline and 3 months post-randomisation.

Discussion
Running at the National Institute of Mental Health in Czechia since November 2024 and concluding in June 2025, this trial investigates whether the parent-led CBT intervention significantly reduces anxiety symptoms in children compared to a waitlist control group. The findings will provide critical insights into the potential scalability and financial sustainability of this intervention, with the ultimate goal of integrating it into the Czech mental health care system.

Socioeconomic inequality is one of the most pressing current issues. Thus, it is critical to identify and address socioeconomic inequalities in multiple contexts that may lead to differences in children’s developmental trajectories from an early age. Using a multi-context (household, classroom, school), multi-informant (teachers, parents, peers, child-self report) and a longitudinal design, the overall aim of this doctoral dissertation was to provide a more holistic understanding of how household- and school-level SES contributed to elementary school children’s development. To this end, I focused on parental education, which is arguably the most powerful indicator of SES. The first overarching question examined the roles of household- and school-level parental education in the social, emotional, behavioral, and motivational development of children throughout the elementary school period. The second overarching question examined the role of the classroom context in inequalities in development. Data came from two Dutch longitudinal research projects with repeated measures from kindergarten to end of elementary school. Overall, the findings highlight the urgent need to provide equal and nurturing opportunities for all children regardless of social backgrounds. Results showed that inequalities in social, emotional, behavioral, and motivational development between children growing up in higher and lower parental education households and schools exist at the beginning, during, and at the end of elementary school. Results also showed that attending higher parental education schools do not always benefit children of higher- and lower-educated parents equally. Findings suggested that schools are not (yet) able to compensate for disparities in development. Furthermore, findings showed that the classroom context may play a buffering (through a classroom based intervention) or exacerbating (through negative classroom peer norms) role in the problem development. This dissertation concludes that a multi-context and holistic approach may be necessary to more adequately address the challenges faced by children growing up in lower-educated contexts