Recognizing_and_Responding_to_Concerns_About_Children_and_Young_People's_Development

c) Describe with examples, the importance of recognizing and responding to concerns about children and young people’s development including Background, health, environment. Pupils development is influenced by a wide range of factors. Their background, health and the environment in which they are growing up have an impact on all areas of development. We need to have an awareness of some of these factors so that we know how pupils may be affected. Pupils come from a range of different family environments, cultures and circumstances. This will affect the opportunities they are given and the breadth of experiences with which they come into contact. If pupil suffers from poor health, this may restrict the opportunities available to them. For example, a pupil who has a medical condition or impairment may be less able to participate in some activities. This may initially affect physical development but may also restrict social activities, for example on the playground. The different circumstances or environment to which pupils are exposed during their childhood and teens will also affect their development. Many families go through significant changes, such as illness, family break up, bereavement, moving house or changing country. These will all have an impact on the way pupils are able to respond in different situations. Examples of the kinds of influences that affect children and young people’s development • Parents going through divorce proceedings or separation can be very traumatic for a child. • Children of one parent families may suffer as a single parent may not work or conversely work long hours, leaving the child with little support and open to bullying, or possibly no male role model to look up to. • Children may become part of a step family, where a new partner may have children of their own, which could lead to friction between the children and unhappiness for the child being picked on, leading to issues of low self-esteem, lack of confidence in own ability. • Having numerous siblings can have an impact on children causing additional needs to be met. Children may feel frustrated with lack of attention within home and also may be required to assist with siblings needs which could cause social and emotional problems. Additionally, becoming a brother/sister to a new sibling for the first time can be stressful and having to adopt to not being an only child can be difficult at first and can create an emotional strain on the child.