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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South African Early Childhood Review 2016

Ilifa Labantwana, the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the Department for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) in the Presidency, 2016

This report reviews South Africa’s National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy, which was approved by the Cabinet in December 2015. The policy is aimed at providing a framework for multi-sectoral Early Childhood Development services in South Africa.

Early Childhood Matters: Advances in early childhood development

Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2016

'Early Childhood Matters' is an annual publication from the Bernard van Leer Foundation which aims to “spread awareness of promising solutions to support holistic child development and explore the elements needed to take those solutions to scale.”

Children’s attachment: attachment in children and young people who are adopted from care, in care or at high risk of going into care

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 25 Nov 2015

This guideline covers the identification, assessment and treatment of attachment difficulties in children and young people up to age 18 who are adopted from care, in special guardianship, looked after by local authorities in foster homes (including kinship foster care), residential settings and other accommodation, or on the edge of care.

The wellbeing of foster children and their relationship with foster parents and biological parents: a child’s perspective

Anne M. Maaskant, Floor B. van Rooij, Henny M.W. Bos & Jo M.A. Hermanns - Journal of Social Work Practice: Psychotherapeutic Approaches in Health, Welfare and the Community, 15 Oct 2015

In this study 59 children between 10 and 18 years placed in long term foster care in the Netherlands completed standardized questionnaires on the relationship with their parents respectively foster parents and their wellbeing.

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Does sibling relationship matter to self-concept and resilience in adolescents under residential care?

Catarina Pinheiro Mota, Paula Mena Matos - Children and Youth Services Review, 03 Jul 2015

Using structural equation modeling the present study analyzed the associations between quality of sibling relationship and self-concept of institutionalized adolescents, testing the mediating role of resilience in this association, and the moderating effect of the maintenance of contact between siblings.

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Effects of institutional rearing and foster care on psychopathology at age 12 years in Romania: follow-up of an open, randomised controlled trial

Kathryn L Humphreys, Mary Margaret Gleason, Stacy S Drury, Devi Miron, Charles A Nelson 3rd, Nathan A Fox, Charles H Zeanah - The Lancet, 23 Jun 2015

This study examined psychopathology at age 12 years in a cohort of Romanian children who had been abandoned at birth and placed into institutional care, then assigned either to be placed in foster care or to care as usual.

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State of Africa’s Fathers 2015

Sonke Gender Justice, 17 Jun 2015

This report from Sonke Gender Justice is an adaptation of the global State of the World’s Fathers report, produced by Mencare. The report highlights the research and findings from the State of the World’s Fathers report that are specific to Africa.

Going Beyond Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Training for Child Welfare Supervisors and Frontline Workers: The Need for System Wide Policy Changes Implementing TIC practices in all Child Welfare Agencies

Kristin Heffernan & Pamela Viggiani - The Advanced Generalist: Social Work Research Journal, 1 (3/4), p 37-58, 01 Jun 2015

This article reviews current efforts to train child welfare workers in the US in trauma informed practices and argues that trauma informed care adaptation and training must transcend case workers and supervisors in order for true systemic change to occur.

“Connections for Success”

Child Protection Working Group - US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange (SEE), 27 May 2015

These videos demonstrate the importance of mentoring not only for vulnerable and foster youth, but also for the mentors themselves.

Every Kid Needs a Family: Giving Children in the Child Welfare System the Best Chance for Success

Annie E. Casey Foundation, 19 May 2015

This KIDS COUNT policy report highlights the benefits of family care for children and the need to prioritize family settings for all children in the child welfare system in the United States.