1 / 11

Poverty, Adversity and Child Development: What do we know and what can we do?

Poverty, Adversity and Child Development: What do we know and what can we do?. What research tells us. The varying environments in which children grow up in shape their development.

chorton
Télécharger la présentation

Poverty, Adversity and Child Development: What do we know and what can we do?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Poverty, Adversity and Child Development: What do we know and what can we do?

  2. What research tells us • The varying environments in which children grow up in shape their development. • Early, emerging gaps in children's’ skills and differences between children’s development become more apparent over time • There are certain factors that drive children's’ development that can be influenced to enhance their life chances. • Research about early intervention in theory can be used to create and deliver effective interventions that can work for families and children

  3. Economics • Babies from a poorer background have, on average, lower birth weight and children in poorer families have a worse home learning environment These factors have important consequences for future and intergenerational outcomes. • Poor speech and language at age 5 predicts worse literacy, employment and mental health outcomes at age 34 and children with lowest reading ability at age 7 have 20% lower wages at age 33

  4. Neuroscience • Early adversity is associated with increased risk of long term poor outcomes and changes in neurobiological structure and function. • Reducing exposure to adverse social environments during early life may optimize brain development and reduce subsequent mental health risks in adult life • Brain development is crucial not just in early childhood but also in adolescence. • Development of executive function, social cognition and perspective taking is shown to be ongoing during adolescence

  5. Parents and parenting • Children’s development is shaped by the quality of their environments. • Recent findings from the ongoing Millennium Cohort study have additionally observed parents’ education and family income were the most powerful predictors of children’s cognitive test performance at age eleven. • The quality of the parenting-family environment is predicted by risk and protective factors present within their communities and wider social networks. • Studies consistently and overwhelmingly suggest that social disadvantage makes it difficult for parents to effectively meet their children’s needs

  6. An Asset-based Approach Communities & Social Networks • Participation control and contribution • Civic Engagement including volunteering • Developing skills, knowledge, peer support and reciprocity • Bridging people in communities together, reduces stress and reinforces positive behaviour/social norms. Facilitating mobilisation for improvement and investment in their area/services

  7. An Asset-based Approach Connectedness & Resilience • Quality and quantity of social relationships with friends, family and neighbours have shown to affect morbidity and mortality • Loneliness has around twice the impact on early death than obesity • Children with strong family networks are more likely to have better mental health. • The capacity to do well in the face of adversity is promoted by positive and long term relationships in the family, neighbourhood, and school

  8. Case Study Family comprising Mum, Dad, Son R referred by Health Visitor • Isolation – the family didn’t know anyone locally • Mum’s low mood • Financial difficulty – frequent requests for food parcels What are you going to do?

  9. Intervention and outcomes • Improved mental health for mum: Mum was keen to attend groups in order to make friends locally and build social networks for herself and R, while her partner is at work. She attended a weekly adult education course run in conjunction with Teignmouth Learning Centre and attended our Early Days group. Mum reported that she had been to a new group on her own and acknowledged that she wouldn’t have been able to do that several months previously. Mum would like to have more friends locally so will continue attending groups at the children’s centre.

  10. Intervention and outcomes • Family to manage financially: A referral to CAB was made, and the family advised to apply for Tax Credits and Healthy Start Vouchers. Children’s Centre worker supported with the application forms. Mum reported that they were several hundred pounds better off a month since receiving tax credits. Mum said that she didn’t expect they would need food parcels in future and that she was intending to save for new white goods.

  11. Next Steps Early Intervention - Website http://www.eif.org.uk/ Research In Practice - https://www.rip.org.uk/ Child development as a national priority - https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/campaign/fair-by-five/

More Related