Understanding Child Development for Children aged 13-18 years is the third App in the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) Understanding Child Development series. This mobile App has been developed for social workers, teaching professionals, youth and community workers and parents and it has been designed to help professionals working with children and young people;
• To understand the development issues relevant to the 13-18 year age group.
• To make links with knowledge obtained from previous Understanding Child Development Apps for 0-6 and 7-12 year old children.
• To utilise theoretical frameworks to enhance understanding of development within the specific age range.
• To enhance professional competence in relation to decision making based on observation, assessment and analysis.
This App like its two predecessors was developed in partnership with the Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster whom the Northern Ireland Social Care Council commissioned to write the content. The NISCC acknowledge that the authorship and intellectual copyright belong to the Social Work Departments at Queens University Belfast and the University of Ulster through both authors, Dr Anne Campbell and Professor Mary McColgan whose expertise underpins the content of this App.
The development of this App was also informed by a reference group of experts convened by the NISCC. This reference group included social work, education and youth work professionals whose expertise and knowledge ultimately helped shape the App content and style.
The need for these innovative mobile resources was identified by the Office of Social Services, Department for Health and Public Safety (DHSSPSNI) who provided the funding for the development of the App and helped me it a reality.
These mobile Apps represents cost effective methods of delivering peer reviewed education material at the touch of a finger and have been warmly welcomed by employers and education providers across all sectors of child care and young people’s service provision.