Watch out

Child development is not a fixed idea that can be measured the same way in all circumstances, and practitioners need to consult other observers, writes Penny Tassoni Health professionals have always monitored the development of babies and young children, and early years practitioners are now following suit in carrying out their own kind of observations. Birth to Three Matters, the framework for the under-threes, advocates careful observation, as does the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage. But how does monitoring children's development affect our practice with children?