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Infant Brain Development
Infancy is a time for forming secure attachments, with the infant needing to stay effectively connected to a caring, committed, sensitive educator in order to cope with both new and familiar experiences.
Babies needs are biologically based and this means that babies have very demanding needs and adults cannot ask a baby to wait - because babies have no concept of time. The fact is babies need continuous regulation, with responsive educators who can give full and respectful attention during precious waking hours.
By responding respectfully to baby's needs, educators are:
- Helping the baby's nervous system to mature in such a way that it does
- not become overstressed
- Helping the baby's immune and stress response system
- Building the capacity for the baby to hold information in the mind
- Helping baby to behave socially
Educators who do this work need to be valued and supported with a highly developed commitment to their job.
Each situation requires its own appropriate response, because the way babies are managed can and does have lasting effects:
- The first three years of an infant’s life are crucial for developing social and
- relational skills.
- Significant brain and nervous development occurs after a baby is born, and
it takes most of the first year of life for the brain to become social.
- Babies are dependant and need an actively responsive and sensitive nurturing experience for emotional health and wellness.
- This social interaction needs to be with an educator who is attuned and
empathetic to their needs.
- The experience must be highly pleasurable - babies are hooked on social
interaction and the adult needs to follow the baby's leads.
- Babies need to have a satisfying experience of dependency before they can
become independent and self-regulating.
- The development of the stress response in babyhood affects future emotional life.
- Babies development can be hampered if an adult has an intolerance of dependency. Leaving a baby to cry for more than a short time undermines the baby's confidence in adults and in the world, leaving him/her more dependant - not less.
PORSE believes, and research supports the fact that In-Home is THE BEST PLACE to support infant brain development.
When a family chooses In-Home Childcare they are giving their children only one extra adult to form a secure attachment with. Their child remains in a calm, predictable home environment. The running of the home and routines form the basis for all learning.
PORSE participates in the Executive Committee of the Infant Mental Health Association of Aotearoa New Zealand in order to stay active and informed of the latest developments in the area of research, policy and action for the benefit of infant mental health and its effects on families and the society of New Zealand.
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