Social development

From birth, babies enjoy interacting and responding socially. By 6 weeks, responses will typically include a social smile. The attachment to significant carers is strong. The realisation for the baby that they are a separate person occurs during the first 2 or 3 months. Having understood that ‘I‘ exists, they then begin to understand how they are seen by the world with certain qualities and characteristics.

Social interactions drive the baby to develop and to learn. At first they start playing on their own with toys, often alongside another child, but by 2 years old, their play will typically involve playing cooperatively and taking turns with another similar aged child.

For the young child, role-modelling, imitation, rituals and routines are key to interaction. For example they enjoy rhyming and singing with adults. By 3 to 4 years, the child is able to show empathy for others and they seek out play with other children. Individual friendships start to be formed, typically, but not exclusively, with children of the same sex.

By 5 years old, the child dresses without help and toilet training is typically completed. During their school-aged years, friends become increasingly important as the child’s independence increases. As puberty starts, a child’s social world and the rules they have applied might be turned upside down. The child becomes less overtly affectionate towards parents, preferring friends. Friendships stabilise and deepen. In early adolescence friendship groups can become quite cliquey, but later friendship groups often widen.