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 Nurturing Care Framework: Indicators for Measuring Responsive Care and Early Learning Activities

Elizabeth Hentschel, Aisha K. Yousafzai, Frances E. Aboud, 2021

Two new indicators for the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework of the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) have been developed in support of programme implementation. These indicators need to be validated before they can be recommended widely. Read the report to learn more about the proposed indicators.

First Years, First Priority: A Fair Start for Every Child in Europe

Eurochild, International Step by Step Association, European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), and Roma Education Fund (REF), 2021

First Years First Priority is a Europe-wide campaign set up to advocate for prioritization of early childhood development in public policies, with a particular focus on families and children who are at greater risk of discrimination and exclusion. This briefing provides a description of the policy context in which the 'First Year, First Priority' campaign is launched.

Early Childhood Development: A Critical Investment

Aga Khan Foundation, 2021

This workshop draws upon content from the Nurturing Care Framework, the Science of Early Child Development and the Beginning of Life film, to walk participants through why investing in early childhood is so important, including scientific and economic evidence.

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Nurturing Care Handbook

World Health Organization (WHO), 2021

This handbook is part of a set of resources for implementing the Nurturing Care Framework.

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The State of the World’s Fathers 2021

Gary Barker, Aapta Garg, Brian Heilman, Nikki van der Gaag, and Rachel Mehaffey - Promundo-US, 2021

The State of the World’s Fathers 2021 report – the fourth in the series – presents research on care work during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on structural barriers that prevent equitable distribution of caregiving between women and men.

Working with Parents of Young Children

Aga Khan Foundation, 2021

This course is a resource for parents or those who work with parents of young children to support them to provide brain-building experiences and nurturing care.

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Nurturing care for children living in humanitarian settings

World Health Organization (WHO), 10 Dec 2020

This brief summarizes actions that programme planners and implementers should take to minimize the impact that emergencies have on the lives of young children and their families.

Webinar Recording: Nurturing Care For Children With Developmental Delays And Disabilities

Aga Khan Foundation, ECDAN, The Lego Foundation, UNICEF, 09 Dec 2020

This webinar highlighted how children with developmental delays and disabilities can have the best chance to not only survive, but also thrive. The webinar delved into the challenges, emerging research from Kenya, and practical country examples from Mozambique, Tajikistan and Peru.

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Improving parenting knowledge through caregiver education in China

Yafan Chen, Bin Tu, Chien‐Chung Huang, Can Huang - Child: Care, Health and Development, 03 Dec 2020

This study examines the effect of an innovative caregiver education program in China on caregivers' perceived increase of parenting knowledge.

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Better Jobs and Brighter Futures: Investing in Childcare to Build Human Capital

Amanda E. Devercelli and Frances Beaton-Day - World Bank Group, 01 Dec 2020

In this paper, the authors present the evidence on why childcare matters for building human capital, look at the current status of childcare provision worldwide, including an estimate of the global gaps in access, and present specific actions countries can take to expand access to quality, affordable childcare for all families that need it, especially the most vulnerable.