Applying Neuroscience to Early Intervention
| Module 1 | Welcome to the developing brain | |
|---|---|---|
| Module 1 is designed to build your understanding of early brain development and how this knowledge can help to inform your relationships with infants, children and young adults. However, it is first worthwhile flagging up that understanding neuroscience and the workings of the developing brain are not a panacea for society’s ills. Module 1 therefore also focuses on some of the criticisms of neuroscience, including some post-conceptualist perspectives concerning its inclusion in early years discourse and practice. Once you have completed this introductory Module, you will understand what neuroscience is and how it is relevant to the work you do. You will also gain a general understanding of early brain development as well as some of the neuromyths which can sometimes leave us baffled when it comes to what to believe. | ||
| Lesson 1 | Getting started | |
| Lesson 2 | Introduction | |
| Lesson 3 | What is neuroscience? | |
| Lesson 4 | Brain development from conception to five years | |
| Lesson 5 | Synaptic pruning and neural growth - use it or lose it | |
| Lesson 6 | Criticisms of neuroscience | |
| Lesson 7 | The effects of neglect | |
| Lesson 8 | Babies' brains are like sponges | |
| Lesson 9 | Critical periods | |
| Lesson 10 | Brain-based programmes | |
| Lesson 11 | How to spot the neuromyths | |
| Lesson 12 | How to separate the myths from the facts | |
| Lesson 13 | Interactive quiz | |
| Module 2 | To and fro, up and down – the importance of early socialisation in brain development | |
| The ‘to and fro’ in this title refers to the reciprocal nature of interactions between parents and their children. The ‘up and down’ refers to the child’s (or young adult’s) emotional states which need to be regulated within these interactions – from birth. The reciprocal and containing elements also extend to the interactions between professionals and children and their ability to bring the child back to a safe psychological state. By the end of this Module, you will understand the critical role of early interactions between parents and their children, and how these help to build the foundations for self-regulation and resilience. You will also explore the impact on early brain development and consequent behaviour when these interactions are consistently harsh and unresponsive. Strategies are also given to help you nurture self-regulation in children and young adults and support parents to co-regulate their children’s emotional responses. | ||
| Lesson 1 | Introduction | |
| Lesson 2 | Antenatal attachment | |
| Lesson 3 | How mirror neurons help us connect to others | |
| Lesson 4 | Emotional responses | |
| Lesson 5 | The importance of co-regulation as the foundation for children's self-regulation | |
| Lesson 6 | What is self-regulation? | |
| Lesson 7 | Co-regulation leads to self-regulation | |
| Lesson 8 | Strategies to nuture self-regulation in children and young adults | |
| Lesson 9 | Interactive quiz | |
| Module 3 | Catastrophic cortisol – the impact of toxic stress on brain development and wellbeing | |
| An element of stress is critical to our survival as a species. It is when levels of the stress hormone, cortisol are continually raised because of maltreatment and a lack of responsive relationships, that children are in danger of developing problems psychologically, emotionally and intellectually which persist into adulthood. This Module contains contributions from a range of professionals concerned with children’s welfare, not only those from the early years sector. The relevance to early years professionals is just as important and is included to encourage reflection on the issues from different professional perspectives. | ||
| Lesson 1 | Introduction | |
| Lesson 2 | The neuroscience of attachment | |
| Lesson 3 | What causes attachment disorders? | |
| Lesson 4 | How to identify an insecurely attached child | |
| Lesson 5 | Supporting children and young adults with insecure or disorganised attachment | |
| Lesson 6 | The three types of stress and their impact on wellbeing and learning | |
| Lesson 7 | The good, the bad and the ugly - how excessive cortisol impairs early brain development | |
| Lesson 8 | The role of the HPA axis in stress response | |
| Lesson 9 | Interventions to support healthy parental responses | |
| Lesson 10 | Types of early adversity and the impact of each one on psychological and emotional development | |
| Lesson 11 | The brain and self-regulation | |
| Lesson 12 | The cycle of abuse and crime | |
| Lesson 13 | Strategies to cultivate emotional resilience and positive changes in behaviour | |
| Lesson 14 | Approaches to cultivating emotional resilience in children and young adults | |
| Lesson 15 | Interactive quiz | |
| Module 4 | Brain under construction – how quality early childhood education and care builds healthy brains | |
| This final Module of this programme is critical to the success of your role as a change-instigating Neuroscience Champion, as it provides a clear link into the Neuroscience Champion Checklist, informing how you move from reflection to action. | ||
| Lesson 1 | Introduction | |
| Lesson 2 | Enabling relationships | |
| Lesson 3 | A word of caution | |
| Lesson 4 | Personal resilience - What it means and why you need it | |
| Lesson 5 | Pass it on! You need to be resilient to share this gift | |
| Lesson 6 | Resilience test | |
| Lesson 7 | Resilience test - what it means | |
| Lesson 8 | Enabling environments | |
| Lesson 9 | The relationship between emotional responses and their influence on executive functioning | |
| Lesson 10 | Enabling activities | |
| Lesson 11 | Let children have their say! | |
| Lesson 12 | Examples of good practice | |
| Lesson 13 | Growth mindset and neuroplasticity (part 1) | |
| Lesson 14 | Growth mindset and neuroplasticity (part 2) | |
| Lesson 15 | Interactive Quiz | |
