ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION In whatever setting we work with children and young people, whether it is in health care, early years, education, social care, statutory safeguarding, youth justice, community development, guidance and mentoring – we need a range of skills, knowledge and values in order to work effectively. Whilst an earlier chapter, The individual in society, has outlined themes and theories in wider human development, we will look at specific understanding of some areas of child development in more detail. An understanding of child development enables us to put children’s behaviour and abilities into better context, and points us in the direction of the skills we need to work with them at an appropriate level and in an appropriate way.
