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The Early Support Developmental Journals

Image of smiling boy in his pushchair

The Developmental Journals help families track, record and celebrate their child’s progress through the early years. They are designed to support early intervention by improving everyone's understanding of the developmental processes involved and by providing a shared basis for discussion as a child grows and changes.

There are four Developmental Journals which comprises of a generic journal which can be used by families where children have additional needs or undiagnosed conditions. There are also journals for babies and children with visual impairments, Down Syndrome and a Monitoring Protocol for Deaf  babies and children.

The journals enable joint working, by improving everyone’s understanding of early childhood development and sharing information about how a young child is progressing. Where many different people are in contact with a child, they provide a shared set of documents for reference as a child grows and changes.

The generic Developmental Journal

This has two parts:

At the heart of the journal 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.

Families in many different situations may find this material useful.  It helps anyone wanting to look in detail at how a young child is changing and learning – whether or not a particular factor or ‘condition’ has been identified that is likely to impact on the rate and pattern of development.

Developmental Journals for specific childhood conditions or disabilities

Developmental journals covering more specific childhood conditions or disabilities are also available. They are:

Each publication comes with its own ‘How to use it’ guide.

Early Support also has a one-day 'Using the Developmental Journals' workshop and other training that supports the use of the 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:

The Early Support PDF 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.

These materials are Crown Copyright.

Associated documents

PDF Document The Developmental Journal (1.6Kb)

PDF Document How to use the Developmental Journal (676.8Kb)

PDF Document Helping you choose: Making informed choices for you and your child (743.7Kb)
This publication was produced for Early Support by The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) and The University of Manchester. It explores the concept of ‘Informed Choice’ in relation to the decisions that families take about, and on behalf of, young deaf children.

PDF Document Informed choice, families and deaf children: Professional handbook (1.4Kb)
Produced for Early Support by The National Deaf Children’s Society and The University of Manchester, this publication explores the concept of ‘Informed Choice’ in relation to decisions that families take about and on behalf of young deaf children.

Download the contents of this page: docas a Word Document

Last updated on 20/08/2009