Includes references and index.

PART ONE: EARLY CHILDHOOD CONTEXT AND POLICY --
Children and Childhood: A Historical Perspective --
The Current Policy Context of Early Years --
PART TWO: CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT --
Holistic Development --
Children's Development --
Development in the Early Years Foundation Stage --
Factors Affecting Children's Learning and Development --
PART THREE: APPLYING CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE --
Supporting Children's Learning and Development --
Observing and Assessing Children's Learing and Development --
PART FOUR: ENHANCING PRACTICE AND UNDERSTANDING --
Reflecting on Children's Learning and Development --
Thinking, Questioning and Challenging: A Critical Approach to the Early Years.

This accessible guide to child development is written for students of degrees and foundation degrees in Early Childhood Studies, Early Years and related disciplines. The text begins by examining the context of 'early childhood' today, and goes on to look at children's development in detail, including comprehensive development charts for reference. It considers the biological/social debate in child development, holistic development and factors affecting development. The text supports the reader to make links between theory and practice. This second edition includes a new chapter introducing a critique of developmentalism and features more case studies, theory focus boxes and activities.