Scoping review of child development indicators and measures used for 2-to-11-year-olds

This review was commissioned to address a recognised gap in standardised, population-level data on child development for children aged 2 to 11 in Wales. The aim was to generate evidence on the importance, use, and characteristics of child development indicators and measures, both nationally and internationally, and to inform future policy and practice.

Data sources

• Interviews with 11 Welsh Government staff members and 1 stakeholder from Public Health Wales. Interviewees represented: Health; Flying Start; Education Research; Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care (ECPLC); Speech, Language and Communication; Curriculum for Wales; School Standards and Information; and Equity in Education.
• A systematic desk review of research literature. 71 studies were included in the review.

Main findings

No single shared definition of child development

There is no single, shared definition of child development or a centralised set of measures across Welsh Government policy areas. Definitions and domains (e.g., physical, cognitive, social-emotional, speech/language/communication) vary by policy area and over time.

Stakeholders agree on a high-level definition: child development is the sequence of changes from conception to adulthood, grouped into overlapping domains, shaped by dynamic interactions between the child and their environment.

Two different models of child development are identified: linear vs. pluralistic

Linear (Normative)

Development follows a universal sequence of stages; deviation is seen as delay or deficit. Used mainly in health (e.g., screening for developmental delay).

Pluralistic

Recognises multiple, equally valid developmental pathways; emphasises diversity and inclusion. Increasingly influential in education (e.g., Curriculum for Wales).

In practice, these models exist on a continuum, and both are used depending on context and purpose.

Child development is shaped by both physiological and environmental factor

Early years are critical for lifelong outcomes. Child development is shaped by both physiological and environmental factors (e.g., family, school, community).

There are different types and purposes of measurement across different policy areas

In the Health policy area there is a focus on screening (identifying specific issues at a point in time) and surveillance (ongoing monitoring) using standardised tools (e.g., Schedule of Growing Skills (SOGS), Child Measurement Programme). 

In the Early Years policy area there is an emphasis on observation-based assessment and supporting progression, especially for at-risk groups (e.g., Flying Start, Early Childhood Play, Learning and Care (ECPLC)). 

Curriculum for Wales promotes ongoing, formative assessment and progression, not age-related levels. Standardised assessments (e.g., Reading and Numeracy Personalised Assessments) are used, but are not comprehensive measures of child development.

Although child development is central to each of the three main policy areas considered by this review (the early years, health and education) there is a degree of “disconnect” between policy areas.

There are gaps and weaknesses in data currently collected

There is a significant gap in standardised, population-level data for children aged 2 to 11, especially following the discontinuation of the Foundation Phase Profile. 

Weaknesses include: inconsistent use of tools across settings; limited longitudinal data; challenges in measuring development in bilingual/multilingual contexts; small and unrepresentative samples; and limited data on certain groups.