Middle Childhood

Middle childhood is defined a number of ways, but perhaps best defined as the ages 6 to 12 years of age or prepubescent to pubescence Middle childhood is a challenging time and a major challenge is social constructs, as this is the earliest time when children begin to move away from parental influences and establish more meaningful peer and other adult relationships. It signifies a new set of social contacts with adults and other children as well as a wider variety of settings than those that characterize early childhood. Children begin to see themselves as a part of a bigger whole. Peer influences can become more powerful than the adults in the children’s life and impact their sense of self. Grouping is established and teasing of others groups and children begins to take hold in establishing social ranking. This can be a critical time for children and a great time for a social work practitioner to implement interventions to assist vulnerable children. However, a child who has one or two adults or trustworthy peers to whom she may turn may learn that peers cannot necessarily be trusted to give her good feedback. (website) Providing a setting were children could expand their ideas, make like minded friends and have the mentoring of trustworthy adults can transition children into the next developmental phase. They begin to look at different perspectives and can see another point of view. The world opens up before them, while this is an exciting time; it is also perhaps the most turbulent.

Today’s theory on development called The Life Course Perspective or Life Course Perspective examines an individual’s lifespan within a structural, social and cultural context. It examines how their history, to include transitions, affected thei...

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...ze protective factors while minimizing risks. Transitions that occur during this developmental stage can affect the life trajectory in significant ways. Social work practitioners using the Life Course Perspective can examine those transitions and provide environments through which nurturing of the child and enhancement of the protective factors to minimize risk factors as the child continues on the journey of their life. Using social work skills such as grant writing and advocating for the creation of an art and drama after school program could positively impact the child’s journey through life’s journey.

Works Cited

Hutchinson, Elizabeth D. Dimensions of Human Behavior: The Changing Life Course. (2008) California: Sage Publications 2008

Wikipedia. Life course perspective. Retrieved on June 24, 2010 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_course_perspective