ABSTRACT
The case studies outlined in Chapter One show that potential problem behaviours may not be easily spotted and the factors associated with them are far from obvious. Young children’s rapid and uneven changes make it difficult to form judgements about their behaviour and distinguish potentially persistent problems from transient ones. The overlapping nature of behaviour problems with other areas of development such as language and communication, motor skills and relationships and interactions with others further complicates the issue of early identification and assessment. The timing and the context in which such behaviours are exhibited reflect additional considerations for the early identification of young children’s behavioural difficulties. In addition to these factors, the lack of consistent policies and practices across early childhood programmes and settings presents a barrier to early identification of behaviour problems. As a result, current systems for identifying, preventing and intervening with problem behaviours operate reactively, that is, after children have demonstrated significant and persistent behaviours lasting over a period of time (Conroy et al. 2001).
