External Factors Affecting Children's Development

Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of personal factors.

There are many factors that can influence a child and young person’s development, particularly in relation to their background. The formative years can be termed as crucial in regards to development and any major setback can create many problems for the future.

A child’s environment, for example, their family or school play a huge part in their development. Some of the main factors that influence a child’s development are their family, where the child lives, and socio-economic status. These factors often cross over and blend as they are related.

2.1 Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of personal factors

Describe with examples the kinds of influences that affect children and young people’s development, including:

Children and young people are influenced by physical factors, environmental factors, social and emotional factors plus economical factors.

There are different things that can affect a child’s development in their background these are just a few of them: -

The area a child grows up in has an effect, for example if a child is brought up on a council estate in poor housing they are more likely to have health problems. If parents are not working or have low income jobs they are likely to buy cheaper food and usually this means lower quality which can lead to health problems. Children and their families may have lower expectations. They might settle for the life that id mapped out. If a child lives in high rise flats or appartments they have less oppportunities to play. In poor quality housing there may not be a garden or safe playing area. This is reducing the childs opportunities to develop their physical gross motor skills. This of course is not always the case

Children and young people often experience many things which have a direct impact on their development; things such as their family environment and structure, personality, hospital visits, childcare arrangements, and culture.

The external factors influencing a child’s development include their immediate environment, i.e. their family and their circumstances at home, their socioeconomic background and the education they receive from institutions or their family.

There are different factors that can influence a person development. When a person is developing that are different biological and environment factors that can determinate the way they are, how they act and how they develop. It all depends on a combination of both biological inheritance and the environment influences. In this assignment I will talk about how five different factors affect an individual development.

On top of the expected pattern of children and young people’s development including “physical, communication & intellectual & social, emotional & behavioural development there are also “personal and external” factors which will affect how they develop.

This can first be seen with the oldest (first born) child where they seem to be more cautious and in need of help. The first born child in most cases is smothered by the mother and father and is protected from anything dangerous for the parents have no experience on what to let their child do. The parents always seem to be worrying when any imperfections arise like sickness or a dangerous situation. This rubs off on to the child making them very cautious of their surroundings and their actions. On top of caution towards the infant the mom and dad help the baby with everything, and are by the child’s side at all times. In doing so the parents are stopping the child from growing up to be not be independent and always need assistance or guidance

And He also highlights on the children’s environment and social environment indicating the importance of all adults playing an crucial role in supporting the child 's learning not just through

Did you know children raised in poverty are less likely to do well in school due to the fact that they often don’t have much support at home? In a study done by Ekman it say that for a child to grow up mentally stable they require four things: a reliable caregiver, stable environment, ten to twenty hours of interaction a week, and enrichment in complex activities. This is important because it affects the education of children. Today many kids refusal to do well in school has decreased due to living in poverty, not having a responsible parental influence, and how nature vs. nurture play a part in a child’s life.