According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), childhood should be enjoyed from birth up to eighteen years in precedence to adulthood ("The United Nations Convention On the Rights of the Child | Children's Rights Alliance"). However, across many communities, this phase of human development is adjudicated up to various ages majorly capped between thirteen to twenty-one years and associated with various psychological states. Consequently, child psychology refers to the study of mental and behavioural development and the various accompanying issues across this span of life (Singer, 2017). In this paper, an evaluation of the various psychological principles, theories and tools is presented as well as changes to childcare and rights in various regions.
1. Evidently, developmental/child psychology is characterised by various fundamental principles that guide the evaluation of behavioural traits and mental states as well as the various concepts. These principles relate to education, health, family, labour, social class, religion and technology among others. The aspects of the sequential procession of qualitative development, importance and varying rates of learning, the significance of social security and relationships as well as the overall effects on motivation, cognition, language and social competence present great importance in children development (Singer, 2017). For instance, a child’s socialization, work engagement and acquisition of education, technology and good health form a fundamental basis upon which children may be exposed to psychological problems such as depression, anti-social behaviour and inadequate mental capacity.
In regard to education, children are entitled to learning that enhances their morality, cognition, social competence, language and religion. Such education may be offered in various settings such as schools and churches, as well as at home and serve to improve the psychological states of children from a very young age. Such is reinforced through good health and supportive families where they can play and socialize without work burden or exploitation (Singer, 2017). Additionally, the social standing of the families greatly affects the psychology of a child through discrimination in the quality of provisions necessary for optimal development. These include health, education and technology which play critical roles in the shaping of a child's psychological state (Singer, 2017). For instance, technology influences travel, leisure activities, experiences and culture which are pivotal to the psychology later in life. In essence, such principles of childhood perform holistic influence on the psychology of a child mainly through cognition, language, motivation and society.
2. In Australia, there have been significant changes to childcare which are definitely poised to affect child development and psychology in line with the fundamental principles outlined above. In regards to the 2018 Child Care Rebate and the emerging trends on childcare, many changes have been experienced so far. These include modifications to government subsidies and revision to qualification and rates of childcare benefits as well as emerging systems, practices and technologies. The changes to childcare policy include the removal of the annual cap rate of $7,613 for families earning below $186,958 annual income, increased funding to families working longer hours, the imposition of the activity test as well as a $1.2 billion kitty for vulnerable children from disadvantaged communities (Beutler, Danica, and Marianne, 2018). Additionally, the percentage of subsidies offered are dependent on the family’s annual income and any charges by care facilities beyond the set rates will be catered for by the child's parents. Moreover, such changes are bound to influence the welfare and rights of children as well as their psychological development due to the essential role of care.
3. Children rights are categorized into developmental, survival, participation and protection rights with respect to their respective roles in a child's life ("The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child | Children's Rights Alliance"). Survival rights include a provision for nutrition, health, shelter and humane standards of living, while protection rights safeguard them from harm and neglect. On the other hand, participation rights include freedom of assembly and association while developmental rights encompass the all-important education, religion, play and leisure. Since 1863 to date, there have been documented advances in children rights in regard to these four categories such as the emergence of compulsory education, better healthcare, decrement in child labour, social support and elimination of exploitive cultural practices. Currently, the UNCRC takes central stage in the adjudication of changes to children rights all over the world. These include the 41 articles contained in the UN Convention which are largely responsible for the changing practice of childcare through quality early education, embracement of technology in care facilities, increased child protection, a variety of care options as well as flexible and compulsory administration of other rights("The United Nations Convention On the Rights of the Child | Children's Rights Alliance").
4. In the administration of child care and the provision of children's fundamental rights, various psychological theories have contributed to the streamlining of perspectives and delivery of benefits. In my opinion, the major contributors to this endeavour include behavioural and psychoanalytic theories. According to the behavioural theory, scientific examination of observable traits is linked to learning and conditioning through operant and classical means. In this way, children's psychological behaviours can be induced and reinforced through stimulus from the environment. Psychoanalytic theory, on the other hand, focuses on the effects of experiences on the unconscious mind that is critical in the determination of personality and behaviour (Schultz, Duane and Sydney, 2016).
I chose these two theories due to their close relationship to child development and influence over child psychology. For instance, behaviourism is important in the determination of child disciplining which is closely linked to children rights and freedoms. Furthermore, learning and social development heavily rely on deliberate or circumstantial learning through stimuli. Psychoanalysis, on the other hand, assists child psychologists and teachers in planning positive cognitive influences on children to help shape their adult psychological states and mitigate psychological disorders. In this way, the two theories make the most significant change in regard to the evaluation and remedy to children rights and care.
5. Among the major tools that are commonly applied in the evaluation of child psychology games, talk therapy and toys for small children as well as worksheets for older children are included (Singer, 2017). Games and toys are used in a comprehensive play therapy that aims to encourage free communication and ease the application of other tools such as psychotherapy and behaviourism. Their benefits include optimal engagement of a child’s senses, stimulation of imagination and intellectual development which aid in evaluation of prevailing conditions. However, the therapy is disadvantageous in that some children may fail to cooperate leading to inadequacy of the method. Through free communication and expression of feelings, a therapist is able to diagnose and treat psychological issues such as self-esteem, anxiety, loss and grief. Furthermore, the tools are pivotal in the assessment, evaluation and development of treatment and management of other psychological illnesses facing children. Therefore, these tools are important in developmental psychology and enhancement of children's rights and care.
In conclusion, understanding and practice in child psychology are crucial in the enhancement of better childhoods through the promotion of rights and care. With the rising concerns on children welfare, an investigation into the best practices is important in fostering helpful policies such as the recently revised Childcare policy in Australia. Furthermore, progressive theories in general psychology and specific child concerns need to be put into consideration while formulating laws concerning the rights or care of children below the internationally recognized age of eighteen. Through such efforts, numerous gains can be achieved in regard to the study and practice of child or developmental psychology.
Works Cited
"The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child | Children's Rights Alliance". Childrensrights.Ie, 2018, https://www.childrensrights.ie/childrens-rights-ireland/un-convention-rights-child. Accessed 8 Dec 2018.
Beutler, Danica, and Marianne Fenech. "An analysis of the Australian government's' jobs for families child care package: The utility of Bacchi's WPR methodology to identify potential influences on parents' childcare choice." Australasian Journal of Early Childhood
43.1 (2018): 16.
Schultz, Duane P., and Sydney Ellen Schultz. Theories of personality. Cengage Learning, 2016.
Singer, Elly. Child-care and the psychology of development. Routledge, 2017.
