Introductory Edition Table of Contents

Brain Development

Overview
1. Early brain development
1.1 Brain architecture
1.2 Experience-based brain development

Research
2. Brain development research
2.1 Nurturing relationships
2.2 Stress
2.3 Memory
2.4 Research review

Links to practice
3. Practices for healthy brain development
3.1 Advancing maternal and prenatal health
3.2 Observing child development
3.3 Caring through everyday experience

Coping and Competence

Overview
1. Coping and competence in early childhood
1.1 Self-regulation
1.2 Individual differences

Research
2. Coping and competence research
2.1 Early regulatory systems
2.2 Family relationships
2.3 Emotional learning
2.4 Play, coping and competence
2.5 Research review

Links to practice
3. Supports for coping and competence
3.1 Understanding feelings and behaviour
3.2 Getting along with others
3.3 Valuing play

Communicating and Learning

Overview
1. Communicating and learning in early childhood
1.1 Acquiring language
1.2 Thinking and learning

Research
2. Communicating and learning research
2.1 Early language development
2.2 Literacy
2.3 Early mathematics
2.4 Research review

Links to practice
3. Opportunities for communicating and learning
3.1 Guiding and teaching
3.2 Planning environments for learning
3.3 Creating curriculum

The Ecology of Childhood

Overview
1. Ecology of childhood
1.1 Contexts
1.2 Children’s rights

Research
2. Ecology of childhood research
2.1 Families
2.2 Early childhood education
2.3 Early intervention
2.4 Research review

Links to practice
3. Environments for children
3.1 Sustaining home life
3.2 Strengthen early child development programs
3.3 Creating child-friendly communities

Developmental Health

Overview
1. The developmental health perspective
1.1 Life course trajectories
1.2 Growing up in poverty

Research
2. Developmental health research
2.1 Social determinants of health
2.2 The gradient effect
2.3 The economic impact
2.4 Research review

Links to practice
3. Advocacy
3.1 Advocating for early child development
3.2 Shaping public policies
3.3 Closing the gap