Why are early identification and intervention important for children developing atypically? A neuroscience perspective

Professor Sam Wass, University of East London, UK In recent decades there has been a big international shift in education policy (LGA, 2019). It used to be the case that most funding was concentrated on the later stages of education. Increasingly, though, it is now being realised that in fact what children experience during the first few years of their development is not only as important as what happens during later childhood, but that it may even be more important in determining a child’s lifelong outcomes (LGA, 2019). In this article, we review the scientific evidence that has caused this shift of emphasis, in order to provide a primer so that practitioners working in the Early Years are aware of the scientific research into the importance of their field. We also offer some practical suggestions for practitioners working in Early Years about what to do with children who you think may be at risk of developing atypically. Evidence that Early Years development is especially im