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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Recording: Regional Virtual CSO Training on ECD and Parenting Webinar Series

CSO Forum Secretariat together with AfECN, UNICEF and WHO, 29 Mar 2021

This series of webinars organized by the CSO Forum Secretariat together with AfECN, UNICEF and WHO sought to strengthen the capacity of CSOs in the area of ECD to ensure greater advocacy for young children in the child rights agenda.

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The principles of Nurturing Care promote human capital and mitigate adversities from preconception through adolescence

Maureen M Black, et al - BMJ Global Health, 27 Mar 2021

This paper proposes a comprehensive, multisectoral, multilevel life-course conceptualisation of human capital development by building on the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), originally developed for the foundational period of growth and development through the age 3 years.

Preprint: Responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and children’s safety and security during COVID-19: A rapid review

Kerrie Proulx, Rachel Lenzi-Weisbecker, Rachel Hatch, Kristy Hackett, Carina Omoeva, Vanessa Cavallera, Bernadette Daelmans, Tarun Dua - medRxiv, 16 Feb 2021

This rapid review takes stock of emerging research on nurturing care for young children during the COVID-19 crisis.

Supporting the First 1,000 Days of A Child’s Life: An Anti-Racist Blueprint for Early Childhood Well-Being and Child Welfare Prevention

Alexandra Citrin, Siri Anderson, Valery Martínez, Ngozi Lawal, and Shadi Houshyar - Center for the Study of Social Policy, 01 Feb 2021

This report offers a blueprint for creating equity-centered, anti-racist policies that support the health and well-being of children and families of color.

Advancing the Early Childhood Care and Education Agenda: Inclusive Innovative Dialogue towards a Global Partnership Strategy

UNESCO Education Sector and ECDAN, 28 Jan 2021

This report summarizes the main findings of the High-Level Session on ‘Advancing the Early Childhood Agenda: High Level Session towards a Global Partnership Strategy’, organized by UNESCO.

Presupuesto por Resultados para el Desarrollo Infantil – El Caso de Perú

UNICEF, 17 Jan 2021

Este informe se presenta el caso de Perú y su proceso de elaboración de políticas para la primera infancia el cual cuenta con características particulares que son de interés para la Agenda Regional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Primera Infancia.

Collaboration of Child Protective Services and Early Childhood Educators: Enhancing the Well-Being of Children in Need

Karmen Toros, Keidy Tart & Asgeir Falch-Eriksen - Early Childhood Education Journal, 09 Jan 2021

This paper examines the role of interprofessional collaboration in the identification and reporting of a child in need.

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The science of love in childhood: Conversations with leading experts in childhood love, adversity and mental health

UNICEF, 04 Jan 2021

In this new series by UNICEF, Laura Mucha – author, poet and children’s advocate – interviews some of the world’s leading experts to find out why love is so important in childhood.

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Balancing Family and Work During a Child’s First Years

Anna Aizer and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn - The Future of Children, 2021

In this brief, the authors propose a set of enhanced Infant-Toddler policies—in the areas of income support, child care, and paid family leave—to better support families and improve their children’s long-term health and wellbeing.

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.