Journal of Children's Services: Volume 9 Issue 2

Family socio-economic status and young children's outcomes

Angela Donkin, Jillian Roberts, Alison Tedstone, Michael Marmot

This paper was written as part of a suite to inform the Big Lottery Better Start programme and as such has focused on the outcomes that are of interest to that programme. The…

Psychological adversity in pregnancy: what works to improve outcomes?

Vivette Glover, Jane Barlow

Foetal programming is one of the key mechanisms by which physical and social adversity is biologically embedded during pregnancy. While early interest in such programming focused…

Health in pregnancy and post-birth: contribution to improved child outcomes

Ron Gray, Debra Bick, Yan-Shing Chang

The purpose of this paper is to describe the major factors affecting health during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period and outline the evidence for interventions to improve…

Consequences and determinants of poor nutrition in children aged 0-3 years, and public health interventions that may improve dietary intake: a general review

Carolyn Summerbell, Helen Moore, Claire O’Malley

– The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence base for effective public health interventions which aim to improve the diet of children aged zero to three years.

Excessive stress disrupts the development of brain architecture

National Scientific Council

Drawing on the scientific literature, the purpose of this paper is to elucidate the harmful effects of toxic stress on the developing brain. It explains how severe, chronic…

Neurodevelopment in the first three years: implications for child development, professional practice and policy

Danya Glaser

– The purpose of this paper is to outline brain structure and development, the relationship between environment and brain development and implications for practice.

Sensitive parenting is the foundation for secure attachment relationships and positive social-emotional development of children

Anja van der Voort, Femmie Juffer, Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg

The quality of the attachment relationship between children and their parents is important for children's social-emotional development and can have profound consequences for…

Supporting early learning for children under three: research and practice

Sandra Mathers, Kathy Sylva, Naomi Eisenstadt, Elena Soukakou, Katharina Ereky-Stevens

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on young children's learning at home and in early childhood settings, in order to identify key caregiving practices which…

Giving children a better start in life: from science to policy and practice

Jane Barlow and Nick Axford