Understand Children’s Early Years Education and Development

Unit aim

This unit is aimed a learners who work in Early Years. This unit provides knowledge and understanding of how children from birth up to 8 years develop*, including underpinning theoretical perspectives. The unit also includes actions taken when differences in development are identified and the potential effects of transitions on children’s development. It also includes how to support children through transitions in their lives.

Learning outcomes

1 Understand patterns of children’s development from birth up to 8 years

1.1 Explain expected children’s development from birth to 5 years

1.2 Explain expected children’s development from 5 up to 8 years

1.3 Explain the importance to children’s holistic development of:

Speech, language and communication

Personal, social and emotional development

Physical development 

1.4 Analyse how children’s learning and development can be affected by:

personal factors

external factors

1.5 Describe how atypical development may impact on areas of development

1.6 Analyse how children’s learning and development can be affected by their stage of development

1.7 Evaluate how interventions can promote positive development

2 Understand evidence based approaches to child development

2.1 Explain how babies and children learn and develop

2.2 Evaluate theories and models of child development

2.3 Explain how to apply theories and models of child development to support children’s development

2.4 Evaluate how evidenced based approaches can inform own practice

3 Understand the significance of attachment to children’s development

3.1 Explain theories of attachment

3.2 Explain why positive attachment is important for children

3.3 Analyse the impact on children of not forming positive attachments

3.4 Analyse strategies for promoting positive attachments

4 Understand how to support children’s speech, language and communication

4.1 Identify the communication development needs of children from:

Birth to 2 years

2 to 5 years

5 up to 8 years

4.2 Explain early intervention criteria

4.3 Explain how multi-agency teams work together to support speech, language and communication

4.4 Explain systematic synthetic phonics associated with reading

4.5 Evaluate strategies for developing early literacy and mathematics

4.6 Explain how play and activities support speech, language and communication development

5 Understand how transitions and significant events affect children’s lives

5.1 Analyse the potential effect that transitions and significant events have on children

5.2 Explain how to prepare and support children through transitions and significant events in their lives

5.3 Explain the effect on children of having stable relationships during periods of transition