Child development
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Last reviewed: May 2018
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Relationships & child development | Raising Children Network
Loving relationships with parents and carers are critical in early child development. These relationships shape the way children see the world. Read more.
Read more on Raising Children Network website
Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Child development: 4-5 years
This topic is about your four year old
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Child development: 3-4 years
In the course of this year (3 to 4 years old)children are moving out of babyhood into childhood
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Child development: 1-2 years
The time between one and two is one of rapid change
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Child development: the first five years | Raising Children Network
The first five years of life are critical for child development. Find out how your childs experiences and relationships shape the way your child develops.
Read more on Raising Children Network website
Child development: 12 month developmental milestones | myVMC
Developmental milestones for 12-month-old children include crawling, walking with support, talking a few words at a time, and picking things up.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Child development: 3 month developmental milestones | myVMC
Developmental milestones for 3-month-old children include the ability to control their head, hold objects briefly, laugh, smile, coo and cry.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Child development: 9 month developmental milestones | myVMC
Developmental milestones for 9-month-old children include sitting unassisted, standing while holding on, and picking up small objects using a pincer grip.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Child development: 4 years developmental milestones | myVMC
Developmental milestones for 4-year-olds include being able to hop, draw shapes and use a range of grammar. They enjoy playing with friends.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Child development: 3 years developmental milestones | myVMC
Developmental milestones for 3-year-olds include being able to throw and catch, draw and hold a pencil, and feed themselves. They like imitating adults.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
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Working with children/youth
Advice for early childhood workers to help you to assist children who have a parent with a mental illness.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
Home-based child development programmes for preschool children from socially disadvantaged families | Cochrane
The early years of a child's life are extremely important in terms of development and growth. Children from a deprived family background are at greater risk of developmental problems and poor health. Parenting and the quality of the home environment can help boost young children's development and reduce the negative consequences of deprivation. The purpose of this review was to look at whether home-based parenting programmes, which aim to improve child development by showing parents how to provide a better quality home environment for their child, are effective in doing so. Seven randomised controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria for this review. It was possible to combine the results from four of the seven studies, which showed that children who received the programme did not have better cognitive development than a control group. Socioemotional development was measured in three studies but we could not combine this data to help reach a conclusion about effectiveness. None of the studies measured adverse effects. The quality of the evidence in the studies was difficult to assess due to poor reporting. More high quality research is needed.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Auditory-verbal therapy for promoting spoken language development in children with permanent hearing impairments | Cochrane
Auditory-verbal therapy for promoting spoken language development in children with permanent hearing impairments
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Treatment for epilepsy in pregnant women and the development of the child | Cochrane
For most women who have epilepsy it is important for their health that they continue their medication during pregnancy. Over the last 25 years research has shown that children exposed to these medications in the womb can be at a higher risk of having a birth defect or poorer level of development.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Zinc supplementation for the prevention of pneumonia in children aged two to 59 months | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Working with children/youth
Advice for child protection workers when working with children and young people who have a parent with a mental illness.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
Professional development
About professional development options, to help professionals and services strengthen their skills around working with parents who experience mental illness and their families.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
Resources for groups affected by childhood trauma & abuse
Online resources & information on different types of child abuse & trauma for survivors, families, friends, health & legal professionals & organisations.
Read more on Blue Knot Foundation website
Working with parents
Advice for child protection workers when working with parents who experience mental illness, their partners and carers.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website
Bullying | Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss & Grief Network
While children, adolescents and adults may deal with many adversities during their lives, one of the most pervasive and difficult to deal with is bullying. Bullying is often subtle and can be difficult to define. Nowhere is bullying more damaging than when it occurs in childhood, affecting children and adolescents of all ages. It reflects power inequities, which may be particularly damaging to the child's development, self esteem, capacity to function and learning.
Read more on Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network (ACATLGN) website
