Sally Neaum 
Child Development for Early Years Students and Practitioners 

This accessible guide to child development is for students of degrees and foundation degrees in Early Years, Early Childhood Studies and related disciplines and for early years practitioners.

*Introduces the context of child development

*Develops an understanding of development and of how early years practitioners can support this

*Explores the biological/social debate, and the importance of holistic development

*Examines factors affecting development and includes a chapter on reflective practice

*Considers the complexity of children′s development and argues that is is not always a straight forward progression



This fifth edition:

*is updated in line with the new EYFS and the updated Development Matters;

*is updated to include child development learning from 0-8

*includes up-to-date guidance on assessment processes in the Early Years;

*includes a new section with key knowledge on well known theories of child development.

Table of Content

Section 1: Early childhood context and policy

1 Children and childhood: a historical perspective

2 The current policy context of early years

Section 2: Children’s development

3 Holistic development

4 Children’s development

5 Development in the Early Years Foundation Stage

6 Factors affecting children’s learning and development

Section 3: Applying child development in practice

7 Supporting children’s learning and development

8 Observing and assessing children’s learning and development

Section 4: Enhancing practice and understanding

9 Reflecting on children’s learning and development

10 Starting from the child

11 Thinking, questioning and challenging: a critical approach to the early years

Appendix: 20 learning theorists every education student must know

About the author

Sally Neaum is a lecturer in Early Childhood, and teaches Primary English in initial teacher training. She has worked as a nursery and primary school teacher, as an advisor in early years and inclusion. She has an M.Ed in Educational Psychology and Special Educational Needs and her doctoral research was in the pedagogy of early literacy.