This accessible guide to child development is for students of degrees and foundation degrees in Early Years, Early Childhood Studies and related disciplines and for early years practitioners. It introduces the context of child development, how we can develop an understanding of this development and how early years practitioners can support this in practice. It considers the biological/social debate, explores holistic development, examines factors affecting development and includes a chapter on reflective practice. This third edition has been updated throughout and brought into line with current policy. It references the 2014 Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and the new Early Years Teacher status. A new chapter in included critiquing the assessment of school readiness - increasingly a topical theme in the Early Years. New information and discussion of the differences between the EYFS and the first Key Stage of the National Curriculum is offered to enhance consideration readers' of this. Throughout, new case studies have been included and interactive activites have been enhanced.