WJEC GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare

6 Understanding social development Children seem to be born with a natural ability to play that is good for social development. Culture The way of life, especially the beliefs, customs and practices, of a particular group of people at a particular time. Socialisation The process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society. Primary socialisation The first stage of socialisation when a child is taught by family members to interact, behave and talk in socially acceptable ways. Key terms Social development across the life cycle Social development is about the relationships we create with others, the relationship skills we develop and learning the culture of society. Parents and teachers have a key role in our early social development. They teach us: • the acceptable ways of behaving • how to relate to others in everyday situations • the importance of making and keeping good relationships with others. The process of helping a person to develop socially is known as socialisation . Parents or caregivers and close family members play a key part in an individual’s primary socialisation during infancy and childhood. Friends, teachers and work colleagues then become important sources of secondary socialisation during adolescence and adulthood. Infancy An infant’s social circle gradually expands as they form relationships with their siblings, other relatives and perhaps their neighbour’s children. These relationships are strongly influenced by the communication skills an infant develops and is able to use during this life stage. At the same time, a developing child is increasingly able to look at the world from another person’s point of view. This happens as the infant progresses to childhood and explores different styles of play. 1. What is your earliest memory of playing with other children? 2. Identify three things that your parents taught you about ‘good behaviour’ when you were younger. 3. How do you think friendships can contribute to a person’s social development? Think about it 27 6 Understanding social development