The early years are a period of rapid development and can have a major influence on the rest of a person’s life.
Parental attachment in the early years in particular and good consistent parenting more generally, are the key factors in building a sense of coherence and in turn increasing a person’s chances of experiencing a range of positive social outcomes. On the other hand, chaotic surroundings and lack of coherence can produce consistently higher stress levels as children grow up. This impacts directly on cognitive and emotional development, and can lead to a higher likelihood of experiencing problems in later life, such as poor health, low education attainment, substance misuse and offending.
