Child Development

Aims:

This course will provide opportunities for candidates to develop their critical thinking and to manage a range of resources in order to develop items which are suited to the needs of individuals or families, and to recognize the influence of current trends, the market economy and technological change. It promotes an understanding of the social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of the child which is inter-linked through the study of the family, community and the responsibilities of parenthood. It will offer opportunities for candidates to develop an understanding of citizenship through the relevant issues of the subject.

The course is divided into four compulsory areas of study:

Unit 1 – Family and child

  • Types of family
  • Functions/responsibilities
  • Roles
  • Relationships
  • Disability
  • Support for family and child

Unit 2 – Food and Health

  • Principles of healthy diet
  • Dietary, aims and goals
  • Special dietary needs
  • Food safety

Unit 3 – Pregnancy

  • Preparation for pregnancy
  • Foetal development
  • Ante-natal care
  • Birth of the baby 
  • Post natal care

Unit 4 – Physical Development

  • Stages of physical development
  • Factors affecting physical development

Unit 5 – Intellectual Development

  • Learning through play
  • Factors affecting learning
  • Stages of intellectual development
  • Learning aids
  • Types of play

Unit 6 – Social and Emotional development

  • Stages of social development
  • Factors affecting social development
  • Stages of emotional development
  • Factors affecting emotional development
The examination will consist of:

  1. Theory paper (40%).  All questions will be compulsory.  The paper is 1½ hours.
  2. Board prescribed task (30%).  This will be set by the Board and will be carried out under examination conditions.  (January Year 11)

The students will be expected to complete: -

a)    Supportive investigational work
b)    A practical outcome


This will be done in January of Year 11, and will be a 10 hour test.

       3.  Coursework – internal assessment (30%).  This will take the form of a child study.      It  must demonstrate observation of a child over a period of time.  This is an integral part of the course.  (Term 2 Year 10).