Impact of Transitions on Child Development: A Childcare Report

This report delves into the multifaceted realm of childhood transitions and significant life events, examining their profound impact on various facets of a child's development. It identifies common transitions such as school changes, family dynamics shifts, and health-related challenges, and discusses the potential effects on a child's emotional, behavioral, and physical well-being. The report emphasizes the crucial role of the early years practitioner in preparing children for planned transitions, supporting their needs during these times, and providing a stable environment. It stresses the importance of understanding and addressing children's emotional responses to changes, including potential feelings of distress, insecurity, and isolation. The report concludes by highlighting the need for practitioners to collaborate with parents, offer honest communication, and create a supportive environment to help children navigate these critical periods.

Childcare
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Identify common transitions and significant events that a child may experience............3
2.2 Discuss potential effects of transition and significant events on a child's life in all areas of
development...........................................................................................................................3
2.3 Explain the role of the early years practitioner in:...........................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
Reference.........................................................................................................................................6
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Introduction
Transition is known as the changes which take place in the life of children. The changes
can be occurred any time some have specific pattern and other are suddenly take place. The
present research is based on developing understanding related to the common transitions and
significant events that a child may experience. Along with this effect of this transition on
children development is also explained.
2.1 Identify common transitions and significant events that a child may experience
Children experience changes in their life with their growth as there are certain changes
that place. For example, taking admission in primary school, moving to secondary school etc.
Along with this, some of them experience difference in circumstance from moving home or due
to separation of parents. These all changes are stated as transition because of any occurrence in
which children need to deal with some difficulties and if there is any ill effect then it may be
only for sometimes. The flexibility of the child help in defining the way they moved from one
change to another (Bleidorn, Hopwood and Lucas, 2018). When children are well prepared then
any type of transition will be easier for them such as to move in the next stage of their life.
Sometime children experience personal transition as dur to serious health needs and family
issues. However, these types of transition can be occurred at any stage, as not pattern are
followed in it. Transition can be longer time or for short time. For instance, moving from one
class to another which happen on particular time. There are some of the transition which are for
longer period of time such as facing any emotional and physical changes. Furthermore, a new
baby in the family is a challenge for the older siblings. It may be possible that older child may
behaving like aggressive or may feel alone.
2.2 Discuss potential effects of transition and significant events on a child's life in all areas of
development
A child faces any transition in their life put some impact on their health. There are some
of the transition which are not anticipated and it can easily cause distress and feeling of lack of
control among them. Therefore, it leads to negatively impact the emotional and behaviours
development. Further moving from primary school to secondary may create some type of fear
and make them feel insecure. In children emotional distress lead to cause changes in their way of
behaving. They may not be able to reflect their feeling and they may isolated themselves.
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However, some of them react in an opposite manner because emotional distress makes them
physically aggressive. Children’s are mostly apprehensive about the changes as to leave the
family and moving to another place which is unknown. They have fear of sleeping alone or may
be bullying by others (Rossi, 2017). These may lead to affect their growth and development.
Some of the significant event in child’s life which can affect their development is the death of
the parent, which put traumatising effect on the child tell they are not recognised by the
practitioner. Many time children do not show any sigh of distress and it is a duty of practitioner
to support them whenever they required. Violence and abusing is known as the distressing and
damaging transition for children’s growth and development. All the aspects of development can
be affected due to abusing a child. Apart from this, change in school lead to impact the feeling
and emotional development. Children get dispersed because of new faces and losing of old
friends. Along with this they may not sure that teacher will be good with them or not these all
reason makes the depressed and isolated. Transition can affect a child’s development
(regression) · The child may feel overwhelmed · It could affect the child’s physical well-being
such as affecting their immune system. Due to transition sometime children’s get emotionally
hurt and they may avoid taking daily diet which can affect their development. Children’s are
more emotional as compared to elder and it is important to ensure that at the time of transition
they do not get emotionally harmed.
Emotional transition such as divorce and family breakdown. Due to changes in the family
circumstance which can put profound effect on children. Due to separation and divorce children
can leave the child with a sense of bereavement, such as they have lost their own parents. This
negative emotion can lead to a lack of concertation at school and develop aggressive behaviours.
2.3 Explain the role of the early years practitioner in:
A: Preparing a child for a planned transition
For instance, preschool is known as all about preparing children from the starting of school.
Talking about the new schools, making a new friends etc can prepare children for transition.
Supporting the needs of children during transitions and significant life events help in accepting
them changes in positive manner
Practitioner can also arrange contact between parents which help in getting knowledge related to
the children behaviours.
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As practitioner it is essential to inform parents about the things which they are expecting before
starting a school. To hold a parent for discussing related to the changes and their concerns may
be helpful in supporting them. There are many parents who are not concerned related to their
child is not meeting all of the EYFS development outcomes and it is best idea for practitioner to
remind them.
B-Supporting the needs of children during transitions and significant life events
Transition are known as the changes which occur in life of children from moving primary
school to secondary of change in home. One of the first transition which can take place is
moving from home to a childminder.
For a practitioner it is essential to prepared the child for the upcoming transition. It is
important for them to be careful related to the child’s issues and try to respond question of child
with honesty.
For instance, practitioner can organise a visit to a new setting, use time to address their
issues. Along with this they should empathise with children’s and try to look their concern’s
according to their point of view. All the information which is essential should be passed to
teachers (Mitchell, 2017). It is a role of practitioner to prepared a child for a planned transition.
Therefore, they should help the child in gaining a level of understanding related to the changes
which will take place.
There are various planning activities which can be organised and it help in understanding issues
which they face while transition.
To children’s it is important to offer suitable environment so that they can easily
adjust themselves in during transition. Along with this key person can visit to the homes for a
child to who are need to involved in new setting. There are various activities which can be
planned so that children can make them comfort in new environment.
Conclusion
From the above report it is concluded that there are various types of transition take place
in life of children. It is essential for practitioner to understand those changes and prepare children
so that it does not impact them negatively. There are various types of changes which can take
place such as moving from primary school to secondary etc. Children may feel depressed and
isolated if they unable to settle themselves in new changes.
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Reference
Mitchell, B., 2017. The boomerang age: Transitions to adulthood in families. Routledge.
Rossi, A.S., 2017. Parenthood in transition: From lineage to child to self-orientation. In
Parenting across the life span (pp. 31-82). Routledge.
Bleidorn, W., Hopwood, C.J. and Lucas, R.E., 2018. Life events and personality trait change.
Journal of Personality, 86(1), pp.83-96.
Elder, G.H., 2018. Children of the great depression. Routledge.
Newman, B.M. and Newman, P.R., 2017. Development through life: A psychosocial approach.
Cengage Learning.
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