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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Mental well-being among children in foster care: The role of supportive adults

Carly Elizabeth Magee, Martin Guhn, Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl, Eva Oberle - Children and Youth Services Review, 08 May 2019

This study examined associations between perceived support from adults in three developmental contexts (home, school and neighbourhood) and mental well-being (life satisfaction, self-concept, optimism) among grade four children living with foster parents in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada.

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Webinar Recording: Attachment, Development, Trauma, and Socio-Cultural Responsive Interventions for Young Children

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 01 May 2019

The webinar recording provides a basic overview of the intersection of early childhood development (0-5), attachment and trauma in young migrant children.

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Innovative Approaches to Improving Outcomes for Children Involved with Child Welfare: Youth Mentoring

Heather Taussig and Lindsey Weiler - Re-Visioning Public Health Approaches for Protecting Children , 27 Apr 2019

This chapter from Re-Visioning Public Health Approaches for Protecting Children argues that mentoring for children in foster care in the US should be considered as one potential strategy for the prevention of adverse outcomes among this vulnerable population.

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Integrating social protection and early childhood development: open trial of a family home-visiting intervention, Sugira Muryango

Theresa S. Betancourt, Emily Franchett, Catherine M. Kirk, Robert T. Brennan, Laura Rawlings, Briana Wilson, Aisha Yousafzai, Rose Wilder, Sylvere Mukunzi, Josee Mukandanga, Christian Ukundineza, Kalisa Godfrey & Vincent Sezibera - Early Child Development, 24 Apr 2019

A pre-post design with 6–13-month follow-up assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a home-visiting intervention to promote early childhood development, improve parenting and shared decision-making, and reduce violence in impoverished Rwandan households.

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Orphans and Pro‐social Behaviour: Evidence from Uganda

Bryan C. McCannon & Zachary Rodriguez - Journal of International Development, 08 Apr 2019

This article investigates whether individuals who were orphaned as a child suffer long‐term consequences on their pro‐sociality.

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Webinar Recording: Culture, the Migration Journey, Trauma and Assessment

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 01 Apr 2019

This webinar offers foundational information related to the intersection of culture, the migration journey, trauma and assessment.

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Leaving Care and the Transition to Adulthood: International Contributions to Theory, Research, and Practice

Varda R. Mann-Feder and Martin Goyette (Eds), 25 Mar 2019

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the newest contributions to the literature on leaving care in relation to theory, in addition to the Theory of Emerging Adulthood, while also featuring cutting-edge research and best practices that support adjustment across a range of domains for this population.

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The subjective well-being of children in kinship care

Joan Llosada-Gistau, Ferran Casas, and Carme Montserrat - Psicothema, 11 Mar 2019

The aim of this study was to analyse and compare the subjective well-being of children at the age of 12 years old in kinship and residential care and in the general population, taking into account gender differences.

Telomere Length and Psychopathology: Specificity and Direction of Effects Within the Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Mark Wade, Nathan A. Fox, Charles H. Zeanah, Charles A. Nelson, Stacy S. Drury - Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 04 Mar 2019

This study draws upon data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP), a longitudinal study exploring the impact of severe psychosocial deprivation on child health and development to examine the relationship between telomere length and psychopathology.

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Global Survey of Inclusive Early Childhood Development and Early Childhood Intervention Programs

Emily Vargas-Barón, Jason Small, Donald Wertlieb, Hollie Hix-Small, Rocío Gómez Botero, Kristel Diehl, Paola Vergara, Paul Lynch - RISE Institute , 01 Mar 2019

This report presents the findings of a global survey designed to map current implementation of Inclusive Early Childhood Development (IECD) and Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) programs, among other objectives, and outlines recommendations based on those findings.