Title: Young Children Develop in an Environment of Relationships
Authors: National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Abstract:
New research shows the critical impact of a child’s “environment of relationships” on developing brain architecture during the first months and years of life. We have long known that interactions with parents, caregivers, and other adults are important in a child’s life, but new evidence shows that these relationships actually shape brain circuits and lay the foundation for later developmental outcomes, from academic performance to mental health and interpersonal skills. However, many of our nation’s policies, such as parental leave, child care, welfare work requirements, and child protection services fail to take into account the crucial importance of this environment of relationships and its impact on child well-being.
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