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THE MOST CRITICAL PERIOD OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS FROM CONCEPTION TO AGE SIX.
The quality of a young child’s life; their physical, nutritional, medical, emotional, social, and cognitive experience, has a lifelong effect.
Research shows that healthy development during the first 6 years of life is critical to positive health and social outcomes
The following excerpts are from the Vancouver Board of Trade, Kids n’ Crime (October, 2006) paper.
“The period from birth to age three is widely agreed upon as the most crucial developmental period of a child’s life and it can be greatly affected by many factors.”
“When parents are given the proper early learning resources for use at home, preschool children are better prepared for school and learning. Research also shows that all children benefit from quality institutional childcare, independent of home environment. “
“A proper preschool education should enhance abilities that have been developed, and should detect developmental deficiencies in children at an early stage while providing a safe and nurturing environment.”
“Increased educational attainment is positively correlated with every single important life outcome. More education is linked to better labour force attachment, higher incomes, better health, fewer accidents, longer life, greater volunteerism, more civic involvement, greater tolerance, etc. “
“The shift from childhood to adolescence has been recognized as a significant developmental period in a child’s life, second in importance only to early childhood development.”
“For many years it has been clear that factors impacting children from before birth to adulthood can have serious psychological effects…”
“… preventative measures taken from before birth until adulthood will provide the greatest benefits to the individual and to society.”
“…children’s learning patterns become set before they begin their formal education… “cognitive ability is formed relatively early in life and becomes less malleable as children age”.
“In The Early Years Study, McCain and Mustard, show that critical periods for brain development linked to vision, emotional control, response and symbol cognition are complete by age three; and that language abilities, the ability to learn peer social skills and other cognitive skills are waning by age six. In the years since the 1999 Study, research has further strengthened these conclusions.”
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