At some point in our lives, we’ve all heard someone say, “ignore them, they’re just attention seeking”.

But the need for attention, to feel seen and heard, is a natural human instinct. It’s particularly important during childhood, when we are at our most dependant on others to recognise, understand and meet our needs.

All children, on occasion, seek reassurance through their behaviour that the adults in their lives are there for them. But for some children, their behaviour is a way of communicating that something isn’t right. It’s an attempt to get the adults in their life to notice what’s happening to them.

Calling a child’s behaviour ‘attention seeking’ risks minimising their needs. And if you ignore or dismiss the behaviour, these needs may continue to go unmet.

Click here for an article by NSPCC Learning.