Further Developments: Fostering
The Robertsons went on to make 'a series of harrowing films that revealed the true nature and extent of distress shown by separated young children' in hospital.
They also explored the reverse situation, when a mother was hospitalised and the children thereby separated from her - themselves 'fostering children while their mothers were in hospital' and so demonstrating that 'planning for the situation and arranging proper care can make a difference'. The Robertsons found of the fostered children that, 'in varying degree, reflecting their different levels of object constancy and ego maturity, all made a relationship to the substitute mother...The relationship with the foster-mother gave comfort and an emotional anchor which prevented them from deteriorating and held them safely until they were reunited with the mother'.
Read more about this topic: James Robertson (psychoanalyst)