Self-taught: Introduction to the MotC, Principles of Practice

A self-taught course. Start at any time and work through it at your own pace.

Redesigned to accompany the publication of The Meaning of the Child Interview: Making Sense of Parent-Child Relationships, edited by Ben Grey (Palgrave Texts in Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2026).

This is a standalone training in using the principles of the MotC in practice, and also the first stage of learning to analyse, interpret and formally classify parenting interviews using the MotC coding system, for which further training is needed.

The course is self-taught rather than live, using videos of previous training along with other course materials. Participants get access to around twelve hours of training video, exemplar anonymised parenting interviews, and the course materials.

Course tutors: Dr Ben Grey and Juliet Kesteven.

About the Meaning of the Child Interview

The MotC is a method of understanding the parent-child relationship through evaluating the way parents think about their child. Formal use of the MotC involves a semi-structured interview in which parents talk about their child, their relationship with their child, and their parenting, which is then carefully analysed using a manualised system. This course teaches the basic principles of how the MotC makes sense of parent-child relationships.

Participants gain enough understanding to develop MotC-informed practice: an awareness of how parents talk and mentalise for their children and their caregiving, and of what this implies for the parent-child relationship. The course mixes direct teaching with work on actual interviews with parents.

Whilst the MotC has a solid foundation in academic research and psychological theory, particularly attachment and reflective functioning, it requires neither an academic background nor a psychological qualification to learn to use. It has been taught successfully to social workers, family centre workers, therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists alike.

What participants say

“The MotC training was pivotal in increasing my knowledge of both attachment and the assessment of psychological risks posed to a child by their parent.”

Barry Tilzey
Consultant Practice Development Lead, London Borough of Wandsworth

“The Meaning of the Child Interview has proved to be one of the most powerful and informative clinical tools used in our clinical practice, and has helped make sense of some very complex cases. Dr Grey and Juliet Kesteven have a particularly engaging and effective teaching style, and a generous approach to sharing their extensive clinical and academic knowledge and experience.”

Dr Emma Hunnisett
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Child and Family Psychology Clinic, Norwich

Booking and access

Tickets are paid securely by credit or debit card. A reduced rate is available to students, those who are unwaged, and those who have previously undertaken the MotC course. If you need us to invoice your employer, or would prefer to pay by bank transfer, please email enquiries@attachment.services.

You will get an automatic confirmation email on booking with instructions on how to access the course.  If you have any difficulties with access please email us and we will rectify as soon as possible.

Cancellation

Should Cambridge Centre for Attachment need to cancel a training for any reason, a full refund will be issued.

Further information about the MotC is at meaningofthechild.org.