Child Development Assessment and Developmental Delay

Applying child development theory to everyday practice can feel challenging, but is critical in both helping families to thrive and to accurately assess when safeguarding is required.

Healthy brain development in the first years needs to be nurtured through responsive parenting, but professionals need also to be able to make decisions when support is needed and when the impact on the child’s physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing are at risk of significant impairment.

We have designed a one-day course to equip all professionals working with families to understand and apply research and theory through practical tools and skills to help avoid drift and delay. 

Course overview:

The course will help you to understand child development milestones relating to play, communication, physical, behavioural, cognitive and emotional stages and apply this knowledge through enhanced skills and the use of tools. It is designed to help you to make more accurate decisions within the time-frame of the child. It will enhance your assessment skills, direct work skills and decision-making ability as they relate to child development. 

Learning Objectives:

• Examine a range of child & teenager development theories and their practical application.
• Explore play, communication & developmental milestones
• Examine factors that contribute to healthy child and teenager development
• Understand the practices of health colleagues involved in child development work
• Consider what is meant by ‘child time-frames’, the impact of delayed decision-making and possible indicators of developmental delay.
• Refine observation skills to help assessment and direct work for enhanced parenting and healthy child development.