Abstract
We focus on the rationale, process, and outcomes of a project in which university researchers selected a measurement tool developed and used in research to assess the quality of parent-child attachment relationships, and collaborated with the staff of 2 early head start programs over a period of 3 years to evaluate its usefulness in home-based service delivery. The tool is the Toddler Attachment Sort-45 items. The aim was for the Toddler Attachment Sort-45 items to be used to assess outcomes and inform service delivery through ongoing cycles of assessment, reflection, planning, and support for the kinds parent-child interactions that are critical to toddlers' attachment-exploration security. The project applied a parallel process theory of change, which predicted that when early head start staff members were able to engage in reflective, relationship-focused service delivery in a supportive work environment, they would be more able to support sensitive responsiveness and reflective capacity in parents.