Third of children in West Midlands start school without basic skills
90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of 5.
New research from the latest Early Years campaign ‘Little Moments Together’ from the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care reveals children are starting school without basic skills.
The Department for Education, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, is launching its new Little Moments Together campaign next week, explaining how every smile, every chat, and every game played are moments that build a child’s brain.
Data has revealed a whooping 85% of parents in the West Midlands are unaware that 90% of a child’s brain growth is developed up to the age of 5, when most are due to start school.
Child psychologist Professor Sam Wass told us, Brain development is built through all the little moments parents and children have together which include smiling, communicating and playing.
Parents around the region acknowledge the significance of activities such as chatting, playing and reading on their child’s development but blame lack of time, chores and work commitments.
He says, "it’s good to talk and interact with children on a daily basis to prepare them for school.
"Repeated conversations helps their brain to form these strong and stable connections that are later going to be really important for learning language.
"It's not about teaching them stuff, it's more about following their lead and when they start something, you're there to support and engage.
"The differences between different parents are not how much they care, it's about this awareness of what the evidence shows are the effective ways to be helping your child to do that crucial early language learning, those vital skills that children are needing when they start school."