The holding environment: An organizing metaphor for social work theory and practice

This article employs concepts from the work of British pediatrician/psychoanalyst D. W. Winnicott in an effort to achieve depth and precision in the explication of supportive social work practice. Specifically, a review of Winnicott's concept of the holding environment as the optimal psychosocial context for healthy child development is followed by a description of conditions which can compromise development and result in vulnerability and disturbance. Following a discussion of the application of Winnicott's holding environment idea to clinical social work practice, a section on broader implications offers suggestions for macro-level practice and policy.