Importance of the Early Years • Early Brain Development• Self-regulation• Domains of Development
• Early Learning• Holistic Concept• Importance of Observation
Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior, and health. The experiences children have in early childhood shape the brain and the child’s capacity to learn, to get along with others, and to respond to daily stresses and challenges.
- There are “sensitive periods” during a child’s development, when the wiring of the brain for specific abilities is established (Couperus & Nelson, 2006)
- Providing responsive, nurturing and stimulating experiences establish the wiring of the brain connections. Children who are well supported and nurtured physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually will develop a multitude of neural connections that will serve them well throughout their life course.
- A child’s interest and curiosity are the motivators that create new connections to acquire new skills. Each new skill builds on a skill already learned. (Blair & Diamond, 2008; Miller & Keating, 1999; Posner & Rothbart, 2006; Shanker, 2008). The child’s environment can support and enhance his interest and curiosity.
- Early brain development establishes a child’s social competence, cognitive skills, emotional well-being, language, literacy skills, physical abilities and is a marker for well-being in school and life resiliency (Blair, 2002; Posner & Rothbart, 2006; Shanker & Greenspan, 2009).
Visit: www.HealthyBabyHealthyBrain.ca to view videos that will help parents support their baby’s brain development.
Human development is complex and all aspects are interconnected. Yet, in most texts and writings, early human development has been artificially divided into developmental domains. This categorization can assist professionals in ensuring that all areas of the child’s development are observed and supported, thus furthering his whole development. Professionals must keep in mind that all domains or areas of development are interconnected. For example, learning to talk is usually placed in the language domain, but involves physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. In this resource, children’s development has been grouped into the following domains: In the past decade, there has been considerably more interest and investment in the early years both in Canada and abroad. By supporting young children and families now, society will benefit later with “healthy, educated, confident and productive adults” (Expert Panel on the 18-Month Well Baby Visit, p. 2). Dr. Charles Pascal’s report, With Our Best Future in Mind (2009), provides Ontario with an action plan to implement a comprehensive vision for investing in the early years. His report can be found at:
Domains of Development
www.ontario.ca/en/initiatives/early_learning/ONT06_018876
Supporting early learning is based on the following facts and premises: 
Children are cared for as their families provide nutrition, shelter, nurturing, stimulation and protection. The care they receive enables children to learn and develop to their full potential with increasing influence from the world outside the family.
Parents want to understand how their child develops and learns. Prenatal and parenting classes, drop-in
programs, home visiting and many other opportunities can be explored to support parents from various
cultural, educational, geographic and socio-economic backgrounds.
High-quality child care settings and pre-school educationimprove
children’s developmental outcomes. Twolongitudinal studies, the
High/Scope Perry Preschool projectand the Carolina Abecedarian
project, compared childrenwho received high-quality, early-years
programs withchildren who did not.When comparing the two groups
of children over several decades, key differences emerged. The
children who received the quality program scoredhigher on language,
literacy, and numeracy tests throughouttheir schooling; finished more
years of school; and had higher rates of employment (Campbell &
Pungello, 2000;Schweinhart, 2004). InCanada, Quebec has developed
an educational program adaptedfrom the High/Scope modelthat
fosters full and holistic development of childrenthrough an evidence-
based curriculum and has demonstratedpositive results
(Gouvernement du Québec, 1998). Other studies have also found that
participation in quality early childhood education and care settings
has been positivelylinked to child outcomes such as improved
language, literacy,and numeracydevelopment, school readiness and
social skills(Barnett, 1995,2004; Barnett, Lamy, &. Jung, 2005;
Berlinski,Galiani, & Gertler, 2006; Boethel, 2004; Magnusen et al.,
2004;McCall, LarsenandIngram, 2003; Shonkoff and Phillips,
2000;Ziegler & Styfco, 2003).
Parent participation in early childhood education and care settings not only improves children’s development
(Greenspan & Shanker, 2004; Mustard 2006), but also strengthens families and parenting skills through
connecting and sharing with other families (Gordon, 2005; Wilson, 2006). When parent and family involvement
is planned into the early childhood education and care setting, and relationships between professionals and
family members are built on trust and respect, the greatest benefits are reaped (Bernhard, Freire, & Mulligan,
2004: Gonzalez-Mena, 2005). Clearly, when children have access to quality early childhood environments and
experiences, it can set the stage for positive trajectories later on in life.
Holistic Concept of Healthy Child Development
There are many interrelated factors which influence a child’s overall healthy development. Education, health, social status, access to quality health and social services, housing, access to stimulating early learning environments, adequate nutrition, clean water, and a secure and nurturing parent-child relationship all play a role (see section 2- Developmental Health). Given the importance of the early years in shaping a child’s brain development, every child has a right to an enriched and supportive environment in order to reach his full potential.
To meet the needs of children and families, an integrated and holistic approach to service delivery is essential. Families of young children need access to health care, quality and affordable child care, parenting supports, and education within their local community. The concept of a ‘community hub’ is not a new one. More than a decade ago, McCain and Mustard (1999) called for centres which operate using “a ‘hub and spoke’ model” (p. 17), to provide “seamless supports and access to early intervention for families in need” (p. 17). In a few communities, this holistic, seamless approach has been used with success (e.g., Toronto First Duty sites, integrated Best Start sites). But the goal of “An integrated continuum of early child development and parenting centres to serve all Ontario children” (McCain & Mustard, 1999) is still a work in process. In keeping with this holistic approach to service delivery, care must be taken to address the needs of the whole child. Within this holistic concept of healthy child development, paying attention to the social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language domains of each child’s development serves as a guide for professionals to ensure all areas of a child’s development are included. The On Track Guide also contains information about a child’s sensory, aesthetic, and ethical or moral development. Although children’s development follows a sequence, there are many variations within the continuum of development. Children develop skills at similar ages and stages, but there are many growth spurts in a child’s development. With these peaks and valleys in growth, some children may reach some developmental milestones earlier than others. Every child is different and unique, and the environment in which each child develops is also different and unique. Through careful and regular observation, professionals working with young children can monitor the child’s development over time. As a child’s development occurs on a continuum, the most effective and comprehensive way to assess children is through observation. Observation is “the process through which data are gathered about a child’s overall development, learning styles, interests, attitudes, and behaviours” (Vaclavik, Wolanski, & Wannamaker, 2001, p. 10). Its use is endorsed by the Ontario Ministry of Education (2006). Jablon, Dombro and Dichtelmiller (2007) describe observation as “an ongoing cycle of asking questions; watching, listening, and taking notes; reflecting; and responding” (p. 93). Through careful observation of children, some atypical patterns of development may arise. By using the information in the On Track Guide, professionals may be alerted to some concerns in a child’s development and provide additional support to the child and family. These concerns should be followed up with the appropriate referral, which may then lead to early identification of a specific difficulty and subsequent early intervention. Some services can be accessed without a formal referral; others may require a referral from the child’s primary health care provider. In some cases, the professional may want to consult with a particular specialist (e.g., physiotherapist, speech/language pathologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, paediatrician, occupational therapist, child protection worker) for either additional information or a referral.
•Writing a referral
children and families when concerns arise. As a professional,
your role may include:
•Encouraging parents to seek a referral from the appropriate
specialist or program
•Supporting parents through the process of obtaining a
referral
Parent engagement has been identified as an important element in supporting healthy child development and is linked to improved outcomes. At any level, professionals working with young children will also be working with parents. This is particularly important when supporting a family through the identification of an atypical developmental pattern and the resulting referral. Section 6, Frequently Asked Questions, has been dedicated to Supporting Parents and Professionals.
