The developmental journals help families track, record and celebrate their child’s progress through the early years. They are designed to support early intervention and enable joint working by improving everyone's understanding of the developmental processes involved and by providing a shared basis for discussion and information-sharing as a child grows and changes. Where many different people are in contact with a child, they also provide a shared set of reference documents.
At the heart of the each of the four journals is a set of charts that families use to record what their child is able to do as time passes and they learn new things.
The Development Journals can be downloaded either electronically or in hard copy through the publications section, or via this page. You can view, download and order publications directly through the ordering hotline and distribution centre.
The generic developmental journal
This generic journal is for use by families where children have additional needs or undiagnosed conditions so is suitable for families in many different situations. It helps anyone wanting to look in detail at how a young child is changing and learning, and explores the possible impact on the rate and pattern of development – whether or not a particular factor or ‘condition’ has been identified.
The journal consists of the guide How to use the developmental journal (generic), which we recommend you read first, and the full developmental journal (generic) for you to complete. Both guides are available to download from this page.
Developmental journals for specific childhood conditions or disabilities
Detailed information on each of the following three journals, including how to download or order the complete journal or its constituent parts, is available in the following pages.
- Monitoring protocol for deaf children
- Developmental journal for babies and children with Down syndrome
- Developmental journal for babies and children with visual impairments
Further support with using the journals
Early Support has a one-day 'Using the developmental journals' workshop and other courses that help with the use of Early Support materials. The training is open to everyone.
'Informed choice' materials for families
These materials focus on concerns of particular interest to families with young deaf children, but are also of interest to a wider audience. Helping you choose: Making informed choices for you and your child is a booklet for families that encourages parents and carers to think about issues like:
- Are we getting the right sort of help and support to make choices and decisions that are right for our family?
- Are we being offered all the opportunities that are available for deaf children and their families?
- Are we being treated with respect and are our voices and opinions valued?
The Early Support publication Informed choice, families and deaf children: Professional handbook is designed to expand practitioners' thinking. It explores the nature of informed choice, by considering a number of underpinning issues.
The developmental journals and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In 2007, material from the journals was edited and used as part of the EYFS. The Early Support Developmental Journal published in 2008 organises information about early childhood development in the same way as EYFS, to make it as easy as possible for families to discuss their child’s development with Early Years practitioners.
