HDFS and why early childhood matters

Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) studies how people change across life, and how to serve people of different ages and needs. It is also called Child Development, or Human Development and Childhood Studies. It suits people who care about relationships and like to reflect on themselves.

Its areas include early childhood care and education (ECCE), guidance and counselling, special education, and running services for children, youth and the elderly.

Babies form attachments: to the mother, father, brothers and sisters and grandparents. At about 8-12 months, a baby becomes afraid of strangers. This shows that the baby now recognises familiar faces.

Around one year, the child clings to the caregiver. Slowly the child learns that the mother does not 'vanish' when out of sight, and feels secure. At this age, the child is learning to walk, to handle objects, and to control the bladder and bowel.

At first, children are raised mostly in the family. In a joint family, another woman often helped. Now that more mothers work, child care outside the home is needed more: home crèches or child care centres. Such care is often seen only as a substitute for the mother; it is not yet valued for enriching a child's learning. Attachment and security first; then the world.