Children’s experts and around 100 delegates are meeting in Cardiff next week to discuss how young children develop and how best to support them and their parents.  The "Developing Child 1-3 conference", being organised by Children in Wales, will look at the development of children in the one to three year old range.  It will consider a range of issues including attachment and children’s emotional needs, and how young children learn languages, focusing particularly on how babies learn more than one language at once.  There will also be a chance to look at ways of supporting parents so that they can provide a positive home learning environment for young children of this age.

Lynne Hill, Policy Director at Children in Wales explained:

"We know that early Infant development is crucially important for children’s well being now and in the future.  Between the ages of one and three the most important mental development occurs, helping children to learn and acquire the basic key skills in life.  By the time most children are three years old they have learnt to trust others; to ask for things; to use their fine motor skills; to walk; to interpret and express emotion; to empathise, to play, to talk, to love, to share and to identify parts of the environment around them. 

The more we learn about how children learn and develop, the more likely we are to give good support and information to people who work with little ones and their families." 

Notes

1. The conference, The Developing Child 1-3 Years, will take place on Tuesday 23 February at the Barceló Angel Hotel, in Cardiff.  Speakers include:

Siân Wyn Siencyn, Head of the School of Early Years Education, Trinity University College,

Viv Bird, Executive Director, Booktrust,

Melanie P K Gill, Child Forensic Psychologist,

Kim Roberts, Early Home Learning Specialist, Family & Parenting Institute and Helen Tovey, Principal Lecturer - Early Childhood Studies, Roehampton University

2.   Children in Wales is the national umbrella organisation for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals who work with children and young people in Wales. www.childreninwales.org.uk.  Children in Wales was established in March 1992 and became a registered charity in 1993.  It aims to promote the interests of children, to improve services in Wales and to put children high on the Welsh agenda.  We work closely with our members who comprise professionals, policy makers and consumer groups to improve the lives of all children living in Wales, but especially young children, those affected by family instability, children with special needs or disabilities, and those suffering the effects of poverty and deprivation.  We collect and disseminate information about children and promote good practice in children's services through research, policy and practice development, publications, conferences, seminars, training and access to an extensive library and information service.  Children in Wales has offices in Cardiff and Caernarfon.

3.      For further information regarding this press release contact:

Eleri Griffiths (English or Welsh language), Development Officer Children in Wales, e-mail:  eleri.griffiths@childreninwales.org.uk, Tel: 029 2034 2434

Or Lucy Akhtar (English language), Parenting Development Officer, Children in Wales, e-mail: lucy.akhtar@childreninwales.org.uk   Tel: 029 2034 2434,

Children in Wales, 25 Windsor Place, Cardiff