CYP core 3.1: understand child and young person development.

Aspects of development

Milestones - examples

Influences on child development Practitioners measure a child’s acquisition of physical, social and emotional, intellectual and language skills against expected levels of progression, which are called developmental milestones. A developmental delay is said to occur if a child does not reach a milestone within a certain expected time period. For example, if the normal age range for a child to handle a pencil with control is 5 years, but at 6 six years old the child still cannot control it properly, this would be considered a developmental delay. Delays could occur in the child’s physical, social and emotional, intellectual and language development. Or in all areas.

Factors affecting development A child’s development can be influenced by: Risk factors which are likely to increase their susceptibility to delays Protective factors that decrease the likelihood of delays

Risk factors and protective factors Factors that can affect a child’s development can be grouped into four main areas as follows: The child – health, personal characteristics, motivation and behaviour Their family / home circumstances – relationships with parents, siblings and carers and the home environment in which the child lives. A strong family groups can teach and provide role models for children, and can provide a source of social and emotional support for adults as well as children Their learning background – exposure to formal education at play groups, nursery and school and informal learning in the home environment Their community environment – the socio-economic conditions of the environment where the child lives, the available resources and opportunities and community safety, structure and values

Theories of development Some of the major theories of child development are known as grand theories; they attempt to describe every aspect of development, often using a staged approach. Others are known as mini-theories; they instead focus only on a fairly limited aspect of development, such as cognitive or social growth. Recent theories have placed development into areas dependent on age- milestones. Theories which have influenced the way we think about development have come from Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Paiget and so on.

Theories Erikson - Erikson believed that each stage of development was focused on overcoming a conflict. Freud – the id, the ego and the superego. Behavioural theories of child development focus on how environmental interaction influences behaviour and are based on the theories of theorists such as John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, and B. F. Skinner. These theories deal only with observable behaviours. Development is considered a reaction to rewards, punishments, stimuli and reinforcement. Social theories of child development tend to focus on the role that parents, caregivers, peers and other social influences impact development. Some focus on how early attachment influence development, while others are centred on how children learn by observing people around them. A few examples of these social theories of child development include attachment theory, social learning theory, and sociocultural theory. ( Bandura) HUMANIST-Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others. Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates our behaviour. Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what motivates us, and so on. Refer to page 157 ‘hierarchy of needs’. Activity – Socio – cultural by Vygotsky.