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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National Summit on America's Children: Panel on the Science of Early Childhood Development

Charles Nelson, 2007

The transcript of a speech by Dr. Charles A. Nelson III for the United States House of Representatives. Focus on the basic science and fundamental importance of early childhood development. Advocates strongly for increased attention on the experiences and environments provided for young children.

Progress for Children: A World Fit for Children Statistical Review

UNICEF, 2007

UNICEF's global statistical report on progress against MDGs and other key child-focused indicators.

The Lost Ones: Emergency Care and Family Tracing for Separated Children from Birth to Five Years

Marie de La Soudiere, Jan Williamson, and Jaqueline Botte, 2007

Practical guidance on how to care for young children separated from their families in emergencies. Includes discussions of best practices in family tracing, promoting child development, and family reunification. Also provides strategies for the prevention of family separation.

Caring for Orphaned, Abandoned and Maltreated Children: Bucharest Early Intervention Project - Powerpoint Presentation

Charles Nelson, Nathan Fox, Charles Zeanah, Dana Johnson, 2007

A powerpoint presentation on the research findings of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project team. Includes comparisons of children raised in institutional care, vs. children placed in foster care, vs. children raised in the community.

Psychosocial Care and Support for Young Children and Infants in the Time of HIV and AIDS: A Resource for Programming

REPSSI, 2007

Clear programme guidance on psychosocial support, with a special focus on infants and young children. Excellent explanation of psychosocial support models.

Attachment Relationships: Quality Care of Young Children

Jay Belsky, Judit Gerval, Karin Grossmann, Michael E. Lamb, Mary MacLeod, Matthew Sanders and Marinus van Ijzendoorn, 2007

An exploration of various contributing factors with regard to attachment relationships from early childhood to adulthood.

Overuse of institutional care for children in Europe

Kevin Browne, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis, Rebecca Johnson, Mikael Ostergren , 25 Feb 2006

This article discusses the use of institutional care for children in Europe and shows that it remains common place despite the evidence of harm for children, including attachment disorder and developmental delay.

Provisional Protective Measures: The Principles to Be Observed During the Institutionalization of a Child (2 of 3)

International Social Service and International Reference Center for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Family (ISS/IRC), 2006

A brief 2-page overview of appropriate residential institution characteristics. Includes information on staffing, and the optimum size of each family-like unit.

The Effects of Foster Care Intervention on Socially Deprived Institutionalized Children's Attention and Positive Affect

Melissa M. Ghera, Peter J. Marshall, Nathan A. Fox, Charles H. Zeanah, 2006

The study examined the effects of a foster care intervention on attention and emotion expression in socially deprived children in Romanian institutions

Young Children and HIV: Strengthening Family and Community Support

International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2006

Practical guidance on dealing with young children in the context of HIV/AIDS. Focuses on the developmental needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Also focuses on care and treatment provision for children who are HIV-positive.