Identify five (5) factors which pose risks to healthy child development. Think about both child and family risk factors that may impact on the caregiving environment.
Answer..
Family violence whether it be current or past
Alcohol/substance abuse, current or past, addictive behaviours
Unsafe sleeping practices such as co-sleeping with sibling or with parent who is on medication or uses drugs/alcohol or smokes.
Family history of neglect or abuse.
A parent or close relative or sibling with a history of assault or sexual offences.
Children need stable, sensitive, loving, stimulating relationships and environments in order to reach their potential. They are particularly vulnerable to witnessing and experiencing violence, abuse and neglectful circumstances and prolonged exposure to these circumstances can lead to ‘toxic stress’ for a child which changes the child’s brain development, sensitises the child to further stress, leads to heightened activity levels and affects future learning and concentration.
When children are traumatised, they find it very hard to regulate behaviour and soothe or calm themselves.
Does sound right or am I way off track..
Thanks
Nadine..
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