Importance Of Child Development

As stated by Mia Kellmer Pringle, all the needs of the child are interrelated and interdependent. She suggested that there are four major developmental needs which need to be addressed from birth. The first is the need for love and security, which has a lasting effect on all future relationships the child, will have. Without a loving and nurturing start to childhood, the child will face difficulties in attaching to any other child or adult in the future. The security the child receives from a parent or practitioner also moulds their personal identity. The second of these is the need for praise and recognition which is critical in the early stages of a child’s life in order for them to develop to their potential mentally and physically. Although

The senses are a fundamental part in new experiences, by allowing the child to taste, touch, hear, smell and feel new things their mental development is being nurtured. Once the child has had a new experience they will be keen to repeat it and discover further. The final need is that of responsibility. The adult must facilitate this by allowing the child to gain independence by giving them the freedom to explore their own abilities and opportunities to complete tasks independently such as feeding themselves or tidying up after play. Mia Kellmer Pringle promoted viewing the child holistically. Learning is done across all aspects of a child’s life and it should not be separated into different categories. Adults often do not realise the effect early childhood experiences have on children. The experiences a child has from the start of their life shapes their mind and contributes to their views of the world in the future. In order for parents and practitioners to meet the needs of the child they must implement a framework which includes loving relationships, engagement with the environment, holistic development, respecting individuality and ensuring

The implementation of the framework is important in order to support the individuality of the child in their early years and to give every child a base for learning before they begin primary school. Síolta contains twelve principles which include; the value of early childhood, children first, parents, relationships, equality, diversity, environments, welfare, role of the adult, teamwork, pedagogy and play. All of these principles play a huge role in the early childhood experiences of the child. It is important as childcare workers and parents that we take each of them into account when caring for the child. Síolta stresses the importance of a good relationship between parents and educators for the benefit of the child. It is important for parents and educators to have an open and interactive relationship so that the child will have better opportunities to explore and communicate without being held back by the fear of unbalance between the two most important people in his or her life. Diversity is key in order to ensure every child is given an equal opportunity to experience the world around them in the early years and also