By Tim Kahn (ChildForum's London Correspondent)

You are probably familiar with the current idea in the UK that what parents do with their children is the factor that has the biggest effect on children’s learning and development outcomes (Desforges, 2003).  Developments in brain research have shown this to be particularly true in the early years, at a time when the brain is developing at its fastest. Research shows that children’s development is determined both by nature and the environment, in other words both by the developing brain and by the environment created by children’s carers.

A few years ago, an excellent book summarising research and explaining its implications for families was written (Roberts, 2009a).

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