PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 1

I. The Child and Adolescent Learners

A CHILD is a person between birth and puberty and may refer to anyone below the age of
majority or some other age limit.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines child as "a human being

below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained
earlier”. This is ratified by 192 of 194 member countries.

The term child may also refer to someone below another legally defined age limit unconnected to
the age of majority. In Singapore, for example, a child is legally defined as someone under the
age of 14 under the "Children and Young Persons Act" whereas the age of majority is 21. In U.S.
Immigration Law, a child refers to anyone who is under the age of 21.

Some English definitions of the word child include the fetus (sometimes termed the unborn). In

many cultures, a child is considered an adult after undergoing a rite of passage, which may or
may not correspond to the time of puberty.

Children generally have fewer rights than adults and are classed as unable to make serious
decisions, and legally must always be under the care of a responsible adult or child custody,
whether their parents divorce or not. Recognition of childhood as a state different from
adulthood began to emerge in the 16th and 17th centuries. Society began to relate to the child not
as a miniature adult but as a person of a lower level of maturity needing adult protection, love
and nurturing. This change can be traced in paintings: In the Middle Ages, children were
portrayed in art as miniature adults with no childlike characteristics. In the 16th century, images
of children began to acquire a distinct childlike appearance. From the late 17th century onwards,
children were shown playing with toys and later literature for children also began to develop at
this time.

ADOLESCENTS as defined by the United Nations are those between the ages of 10 and 19 –
number 1.2 billion in the world today, making up 16 per cent of the world’s population. As
children up to the age of 18, most adolescents are protected under the Convention on the Rights
of the Child. Yet, their vulnerabilities and needs often remain unaddressed.
Adolescence can be a time of both disorientation and discovery. The transitional period can raise
questions of independence and identity; as adolescents cultivate their sense of self, they may face
difficult choices about academics, friendship, sexuality, gender identity, drugs, and alcohol.

Most teens have a relatively egocentric perspective on life; a state of mind that usually abates
with age. They often focus on themselves and believe that everyone else—from a best friend to a
distant crush—is focused on them too. They may grapple with insecurities and feelings of being
judged. Relationships with family members often take a backseat to peer groups, romantic
interests, and appearance, which teens perceive as increasingly important during this time.

The transition can naturally lead to anxiety about physical development, evolving relationships
with others, and one's place in the larger world. Mild anxiety and other challenges are typical,
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but serious mental health conditions also emerge during adolescence. Addressing a disorder early
on can help ensure the best possible outcome.

The purpose of adolescence is for a child to psychologically and socially transform into a young
adult. Breaking from their childhood attachment and security allows children to acquire freedom
and responsibility to develop independence and differentiate themselves from their parents and
childhood to establish their own unique identity.

Adolescent development
Key points
 Adolescence is one of the most rapid phases of human development.
 Biological maturity precedes psychosocial maturity. This has implications for policy
and programme responses to the exploration and experimentation that takes place during
adolescence.
 The characteristics of both the individual and the environment influence the changes
taking place during adolescence.
 Younger adolescents may be particularly vulnerable when their capacities are still
developing and they are beginning to move outside the confines of their families.
 The changes in adolescence have health consequence not only in adolescence but also
over the life-course.
 The unique nature and importance of adolescence mandates explicit and specific
attention in health policy and programmes.
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