Center on the Developing Child
Watch the following video from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University about neglect and answer the questions below one by one.
1- Why should everyone in a community have a vested interest in everyone else’s children?
2- What is neglect for children?
3- Give an example of ‘serve and return’ interaction.
4- What happens when a baby is not attended to?
5- What is a benefit of occasional inattention?
6- Which type of unresponsive care does allow children to catch up when given enriched learning opportunities and more opportunities of ‘serve and return’ interactions?
7- In what types of situations do you usually see severe neglect? Why?
8- What can be done to change a child’s developmental path or trajectory? Please provide an example.
Sample Answer
Based on the video you linked from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University about neglect, here are the answers to your questions:
- Why should everyone in a community have a vested interest in everyone else’s children?
The video highlights the importance of brain development during early childhood. Since healthy development benefits everyone in the community, everyone has a stake in ensuring children have access to nurturing environments. Well-cared-for children are more likely to grow into healthy, productive adults, contributing positively to society.