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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Institutional Care Environments for Infants and Young Children in Latin America and the Caribbean

Afton R. Kirk, Christina J. Groark, and Robert B. McCall - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This chapter from Child Maltreatment in Residential Care provides an overview of institutional care in Latin America and the Carribean, describes current efforts toward deinsitutionalization and child care reform in the region, and discusses practical suggestions for further research and reform.

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Poly-victimization and Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents in Residential Facilities in Spain

Anna Segura, Noemí Pereda, Georgina Guilera, and Soledad Álvarez-Lister - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This report analyzes the relationship between poly-victimization and the internalizing and externalizing symptoms amongst 12-17 year old youth living in residential care centers in Spain.

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Academic Achievement of Romanian Institutionalized Children: A Social–Ecological Approach

Adrian V. Rus et al. - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This study investigated the correlation between the self-reported academic achievement of Romanian institutionalized children living in long-term residential care and numerous variables related to their experiences in institutional care.

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Child Maltreatment in Residential Centers: Summing Up

Adrian V. Rus, Sheri R. Parris, Ecaterina Stativa, and Cosmin O. Popa - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This paper is the final chapter of Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, summarizing and analyzing the research presented on child maltreatment in institutions, its impact on children, and prevention and intervention strategies.

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Experiences and Outcomes of Adults Who Endured Maltreatment as Children in Care in Australia in the Twentieth Century

Elizabeth Fernandez & Jung-Sook Lee - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This study explored the experiences of maltreatment and outcomes of adult care-leavers in Australia who lived in out-of-home care as children.

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Research on Child Sexual Abuse in Institutions in German-Speaking Countries: A Summary

Nina Spröber-Kolb et al. - Child Maltreatment in Residential Care, 03 Aug 2017

This report summarizes the findings from various studies investigating child sexual abuse within institutional care throughout Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and offers suggestions for future research and intervention.

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Beyond the Silence: Emotional Experiences of Adolescents in Foster Care

Mmathebe Mampane & Eleanor Ross - Southern African Journal of Social Work & Development , 01 Aug 2017

This qualitative study explored the emotional experiences of 15 adolescents placed in foster care in South Africa.

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First-Time Parents' Knowledge of Infant and Toddler Development: A Review of the Literature

01 Aug 2017

Child Trends reviewed the literature on parenting knowledge among first-time parents with young children (2 years and younger). Specifically, they examined research on what parents know and want to know about parenting and child development, where they get their information, and what sources of information they trust.

EEG Correlation during Social Decision-making in Institutionalized Adolescents

Jorge Hevia-Orozco, Araceli Sanz-Martin, Miguel Angel Guevara and Marisela Hernández-Gonzalez - Abnormal & Behavioral Psychology, 26 Jul 2017

This study investigated and compared electroencephalogram (EEG) functioning between a group of institutionalized adolescents and a never institutionalized group of adolescents during a social decision making task.

The Road to Adulthood: Aligning Child Welfare Practice With Adolescent Brain Development

The Annie E. Casey Foundation , 22 Jul 2017

This paper offers recommendations for child welfare professionals, caregivers and systems to use the research on adolescent brain development to work effectively with youth in or emerging from foster care.