Understanding vulnerability in early childhood: Many stories, many challenges, many answers Catherine Hydon, Janet Stanley, Nina Van Dyke & Stephen Carbone, Brotherhood of St Laurence The vital early childhood years .. .what happens during the first months and years of life absolutely does matter, not because this period of development provides an indelible blueprint for adult well-being, but because it sets either a sturdy or a fragile base for what follows. (Shonkoff & Phillips 2000, cited in Ochiltree & Moore 2001, p.12) Early childhood is increasingly recognised as a crucial period in human development, during which the foundations for future wellbeing are established. Each child’s development is a dynamic process shaped by a wide range of factors including his or her own characteristics, the quality of the child/primary-caregiver and family relationships, and the nature of the broader social environment in which he or she is raised (Ochiltree & Moore 2001). Negative environmental influences such as poverty, poor nutrition, under:stimulation, family discord, and abuse or neglect during the early years of life have been shown to have a direet impact on growth and brain development. This can delay or disrupt learning and social and emotional development, often with long term adverse consequences (Hertzman 2002). By kindergarten age, a socioeconomic gradient in readiness for school is evident in Canada, with children in low-income families over four times more likely to have delayed vocabulary development (Ross & Roberts 1999 cited in Hertzman 2002). By the time these Canadian children reach school ‘there are large.. .differences between children dependent on urban neighbourhood, rural region, ethnicity and socioeconomic status’ (Hertzman 2002, p.l). In Australia, as in Canada, we seek to provide services to children as an important contribution towards preventing them from experiencing adverse circumstances, or at least moderating the impact of adversity. Universal or primary services are directed at all children in particular age groups. In the early childhood years they included Maternal and Child Health Services, Pre- O Schools and Primary Schools. Secondary prevention services are those which target particular $ children who may be exposed to problems in their environment. Tertiary prevention services target children where there are concerns about their wellbeing, in order to prevent adverse events recurring. Universal services were available to the Canadian children referred to above. While universal services cannot be expected to be the sole means of promoting child wellbeing, the results reported above suggest that not everyone has equal access to, or finds equal value in these services. Indeed, the literature notes that often those who could most benefit from services have ■ less access to services or experience a service response that is insensitive or fails to meet their needs (Ochiltree 1999). Findings such as reported in Canada and indeed work done in Australia by Vinson (2004) on locational disadvantage suggest that specific efforts may be required to create more accessible and inclusive early childhood services, which better address the needs of all children, particularly those who are exposed to negative environmental influences. Most of the conversations in the literature on the impact of adverse environments on children relate to concerns about the future wellbeing and future outcomes for these children. It is important to remember that children are people now and may be experiencing adverse.. ~ ~ - 1
Understanding vulnerability in early childhood: Many stories, many challenges, many answers
Jul 09, 2023
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