Introduce
This section will develop your understanding that ‘age related expectations’ identify the age that children are typically expected to achieve developmental milestones and that in practice this can vary quite a bit.
You will begin to recognise that for some children with development delay, this may mean they have special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and may require additional or specialist support or services.
You will also begin to recognise that the development needs and strengths of all children are unique and will be influenced by their environment, background, and family circumstances.
Read this section overview to discover how you can develop your knowledge of developmental milestones and recognise the factors that influence and support development during the early years.
Develop
To enable caregivers and practitioners to support young children, it is important that they can recognise key factors and developmental milestones. Remember, that each child is unique, with a different set of needs. Even though children tend to follow the same developmental journey, the stage that a child reaches these milestones can be influenced by a range of factors, such as premature birth, illness, SEND and environmental considerations.
Read: Interactive Resource – Understanding Expectations
Click on the link above to access an interactive resource which highlights the areas, age ranges and influences that practitioners and caregivers need to be aware of in relation to development in early childhood.
Reflect
Stop and Reflect:
Whilst you work through this section think about:
- The times when you might have the opportunity to identify developmental milestones.
- How you can support young children and their caregivers to ensure a variety of developmental needs are considered.
- The factors that might impact on development during the early years, and how you can plan to support the child.
- Any factors which are local to the Greater Manchester region which may have an impact on child development.