This article was written for health professionals. If you are a parent, check out our Emerging Minds Families resources about children’s developmental experiences and how you can support your child’s healthy development.
Children develop best in supportive, responsive environments. Their physical, social and emotional needs and abilities vary, depending on what’s going on around them and where they’re at in their developmental journey.
Understanding a child’s ecology – their relationships and the environments in which they live, learn, play and grow – and how brains and bodies develop is an integral part of supporting healthy development and wellbeing. When coupled with a curious, respectful practice approach, this knowledge can help you to scaffold children’s learning and development, equipping them with the tools they need to grow and thrive.
This article explores the importance of early childhood and adolescence on development, the ways in which stress and trauma affect development, and strategies to support healthy development at different stages of a child’s life.