The author's previous book 'From Birth to One – the Year of Opportunity' published in 2003 has been very well received and is now used widely in many training contexts for a range of practitioners. She remains passionately interested in development because of the vulnerability of young children, their reliance on adult care and the amount of crucial learning that takes place in early childhood and wanted to provide information for a wider age range. She has a Masters degree (distinction) in child welfare and protection and her past professional work was in health visiting and teaching in FE (CACHE and allied courses). She subsequently trained as a NVQ assessor and worked for CACHE as a professional development officer before working independently. She now combines lecturing in HE on education, health and social work courses, providing training for early years practitioners, special needs teachers and adopters and conference speaking with her own continuing studies and research.

• ForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction Laying the foundations: brain works 'A world of one's own': the body and the senses Origins Emotional and social and well being Learning and development Playing and imaginingThe role of the adult: to understand the 'heart of the intended communication' The final phase, conclusions and reflections on development

The author's previous book 'From Birth to One – the Year of Opportunity' published in 2003 has been very well received and is now used widely in many training contexts for a range of practitioners. She remains passionately interested in development because of the vulnerability of young children, their reliance on adult care and the amount of crucial learning that takes place in early childhood and wanted to provide information for a wider age range. She has a Masters degree (distinction) in child welfare and protection and her past professional work was in health visiting and teaching in FE (CACHE and allied courses). She subsequently trained as a NVQ assessor and worked for CACHE as a professional development officer before working independently. She now combines lecturing in HE on education, health and social work courses, providing training for early years practitioners, special needs teachers and adopters and conference speaking with her own continuing studies and research.

• ForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction Laying the foundations: brain works 'A world of one's own': the body and the senses Origins Emotional and social and well being Learning and development Playing and imaginingThe role of the adult: to understand the 'heart of the intended communication' The final phase, conclusions and reflections on development

The author's previous book 'From Birth to One – the Year of Opportunity' published in 2003 has been very well received and is now used widely in many training contexts for a range of practitioners. She remains passionately interested in development because of the vulnerability of young children, their reliance on adult care and the amount of crucial learning that takes place in early childhood and wanted to provide information for a wider age range. She has a Masters degree (distinction) in child welfare and protection and her past professional work was in health visiting and teaching in FE (CACHE and allied courses). She subsequently trained as a NVQ assessor and worked for CACHE as a professional development officer before working independently. She now combines lecturing in HE on education, health and social work courses, providing training for early years practitioners, special needs teachers and adopters and conference speaking with her own continuing studies and research.

• ForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction Laying the foundations: brain works 'A world of one's own': the body and the senses Origins Emotional and social and well being Learning and development Playing and imaginingThe role of the adult: to understand the 'heart of the intended communication' The final phase, conclusions and reflections on development