FAMILY WELLNESS

Circle of Security®

 
 

Circle of Security® Parenting™ Program

Parenting is about more than managing behaviour. Behind a child’s behaviour is often a need—for connection, reassurance, comfort, independence, or help making sense of big emotions.

 

The Circle of Security® Parenting™ (COSP) Program is an 8-week, relationship-based parenting program designed to help parents and caregivers better understand what their children need from them and strengthen the emotional connection at the heart of their relationship.

 

Using the Circle of Security® model, parents and caregivers learn to look beyond behaviour and recognize what their child may be communicating through their emotions and actions. The program helps caregivers understand when children need support to explore and become more independent, when they need to return for comfort and connection, and how parents can respond in ways that help children feel safe, understood, and secure.

 

COSP also recognizes that parenting can bring up strong emotions for adults. Parents are supported in becoming more aware of the thoughts, feelings, and experiences that can make certain parenting moments difficult and in developing new ways of responding when their child's needs feel challenging or overwhelming.

 

Through the program, parents and caregivers will explore how to:

 

  • Better understand what their child's behaviour may be communicating.

  • Recognize and respond to their child's needs for both connection and independence.

  • Become a secure base from which their child can explore, learn, grow, and return for comfort and reassurance.

  • Support their child through difficult emotions rather than focusing only on stopping challenging behaviour.

  • Recognize their own emotional responses and how these can influence interactions with their child.

  • Balance being bigger, stronger, wiser, and kind while following their child's needs whenever possible and taking charge when necessary.

  • Understand that difficult moments do not have to define the relationship and learn how connection can be restored when ruptures occur.

  • Build a relationship in which their child feels safe, valued, understood, and supported.

 

What makes Circle of Security different?

 

COSP is not about becoming a perfect parent or giving parents another list of rules to follow. It helps parents become more curious about the relationship they have with their child.

Instead of asking only, “How do I stop this behaviour?”, parents are encouraged to consider, “What might my child need from me right now?”

This shift can help parents respond with greater confidence and understanding, while creating the emotional security children need to develop healthy relationships, resilience, confidence, and independence.

 

Who is it for?

 

The program is offered to parents and caregivers of children and youth ages 0–18 who want to better understand their child's emotional needs, strengthen their relationship, and feel more confident navigating the everyday challenges of parenting.

Whether you are experiencing frequent conflict, big emotions, difficulty connecting with your child, or simply want to strengthen an already positive relationship, Circle of Security offers a different way of understanding both your child and yourself as a parent.