Child Development

Knowledge of child development is the foundation for work with children, and therefore is a requirement for all those seeking to protect children. It influences every aspect of a child from physical growth and mental abilities, to how they express emotions, think and behave.

Healthy development takes children through stages, whereby they obtain an increasing number of physical, mental, and emotional skills in order to become independent adults. These stages provide benchmarks for determining if a child is developing normally. Without knowledge of the normal developmental stages of a child, a worker cannot identify developmental delays, assess the impact of abuse, or make recommendations regarding the child’s physical, mental or emotional health. Understanding what a child is capable of allows adults to communicate on their level and provide age-appropriate responses and interventions.

Knowledge of early childhood development and attachment behaviour is particularly important for protection workers. The physical health and care a child experiences as an infant will affect their development into adulthood. A child needs to have experienced a positive attachment by the age of 3 in order to develop cognitively, physically, socially, and psychologically. Healthy attachments come from the close bond a child experiences when provided with the responsive and stable care of at least one adult. In a residential home, children are less likely to receive the amount of individual attention from a permanent caretaker that they require. Children under 12, in particular, benefit more from a kinship, foster or adoption placement where they can experience closer relationships.

Observation of a child’s attachment to caretakers will influence the type of care, permanency plan, and level of support services offered. It can also aid in the identification of abuse.

This section contains information on the importance of child development knowledge, guidance on the ages and stages of children, and attachment theory.

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The neglect–enrichment continuum: Characterizing variation in early caregiving environments

Lucy S. King, Kathryn L. Humphreys, Ian H. Gotlib - Developmental Review, 09 Jan 2019

In this paper, the authors advance a framework for examining the nature and consequences of neglect, which they posit can be represented as variations along a continuum from severe psychosocial neglect to environmental enrichment.

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Manifiesto Para Equidad Racial y Liderazgo de Padres

Center for the Study of Social Policy, 02 Jan 2019

Para ayudarle a los sistemas de primera infancia en los E.E.U.U. a aprender a trabajar con padres de maneras que promuevan resultados equitativos y maximicen las oportunidades para todos los niños 40 padres líderes y personal de agencias de nueve comunidades de Early Childhood Learning and Innovation Network for Communities (EC-LINC) se reunieron en enero de 2018 para crear un manifiesto para el cambio.

Changing Lives in Our Lifetime: Global Childhood Report 2019

Save the Children, 2019

In commemoration of its founding 100 years ago, Save the Children is releasing its third annual Global Childhood Report to celebrate progress for children.

5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return

The Harvard Center on the Developing Child, 2019

This brief guide from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child outlines 5 steps for primary caregivers to practice serve and return with their child.

Early childhood agreement for children in out-of-home care

Early Childhood and School Education Group, Department of Education and Training, and the Youth and Families Division, Department of Health and Human Services, 2019

The Early Childhood Agreement for Children in Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) was first developed in 2014 as a shared commitment by the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET), the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA) to support young children in OOHC in Victoria, Australia to access key early childhood services.

An Exploration of Childhood and Childcare for 0–3 year olds in Coastal Kenya: An ethnographic deep-dive and quantitative study

Saul Parker & Sophie Dollar - The Kays Foundation , 2019

This research debrief includes the qualitative and quantitative findings from a study of parenting attitudes and practices in coastal Kenya that set out to cast new light on the First 1,000 Days, understanding this life-stage from the vantage point of families and communities. This study has been carried out with the sole purpose of bringing new insights on early childhood and childcare to the EC community, to help improve support for and services to 0–3 year olds.

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5 Pasos para el Desarrollo Mental Saque y Volea

Harvard Center on the Developing Child, 2019

Esta guía breve del Harvard Center on the Developing Child presenta 5 pasos para cuidadores practicar “saque y volea” con su niño/a.

Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences: An evidence review of interventions to prevent and address adversity across the life course

Lisa C.G. Di Lemma, Alisha R. Davies, Kat Ford, Karen Hughes, Lucia Homolova, Benjamin Gray, and Gillian Richardson - Public Health Wales and Bangor University, 2019

To support innovation in addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the authors have undertaken a review of evidence on common approaches to prevent ACEs and/or mitigate their negative impacts in Wales.

Adolescents in Residential-Care: The Role of Attachment and Emotional Regulation Strategies on Psychopathological Symptoms.

Muzi Stefania; Bizzi Fabiola; Pace Cecilia Serena - Department of Educatonal Science (DISFOR), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy, 2019

This research poster presents an overview of a study conducted in Northern Italy. The study's aims were to: (1) investgate the associatons among atachment paterns, Emotonal Regulaton (ER) strategies and internalizing or externalizing symptoms showed by adolescents in residental-care and (2) examine the predictve role of atachment and ER strategies for the rates of internalizing/externalizing symptoms.

The prevalence of behavioral disorders among children under parental care and out of parental care: A comparative study in India

Panchali Datta(Pal), Sutapa Ganguly, B. N. Roy - International Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 10 Dec 2018

A cross-sectional comparative descriptive study was conducted among 300 children of age 6-12 years from a pediatric outpatient department of a selected hospital and 300 children from selected orphanages in Kolkata to compare the prevalence of behavioral disorders in children under parental care and out of parental care using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

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