ABSTRACT
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are a significant period for learning. Multiple complex and inter-dependent processes occur which are influenced by epigenetics, emotional wellbeing, and availability of opportunities. This book explores the concept of learning by presenting research and illustrations from practice on three major topics: adverse childhood experiences, attachment, and environment. Each child has a unique interpretation, and reaction to, adversity in the earliest years, and Chapter 1 discusses the effect upon approach and avoidance motivation for learning, and the rationale of trauma-informed practice. The influence from a secure attachment figure is explored in Chapter 2, and links are presented between emotions and involvement. The third chapter highlights the current indoor and outdoor use of natural green spaces as a response to attention-fatigue, and promotes comprehension of the issues in a context of attention restoration theory. The book concludes by focusing upon further influences on learning from the child’s patterns of play in the form of schemas, and discusses the challenges of quality assurance. Intervention for extended families is presented as an approach to supporting development and attainment in each generation, and to achieving a legacy beyond the professional network.
