“Young children experience their world as an environment of relationships, and these relationships affect virtually all aspects of their development – intellectual, social, emotional, physical, behavioural, and moral”
(NSCDC, 2004, p. 1)
A community can include…
or any other person who has an important impact on the child’s early development.
Positive feelings that arise from belonging to a community (for both children and adults):
we feel like we are accepted and safe
we can influence and be influenced by other members of the community
we may fulfil our needs
we share an emotional connection, through shared experiences, places and stories
“The interactive influences of genes and experience shape the developing brain. Scientists now know a major ingredient in this developmental process is the “serve and return” relationship between children and their parents and other caregivers in the family or community”