What’s happening in the brain?

The first 1000 days of a child’s life are often heralded as being the most significant, in no small part because of what is happening in the brain.

The first 1000 days of a child’s life are often heralded as being the most significant, in no small part because of what is happening in the brain. Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to be shaped and changed by what it experiences. The foundations laid during these earliest days have an effect that lasts a whole lifetime. Every need and whether it’s met or not, every nurturing relationship or lack of, creates connections , called synapses, in the brain. The pictures of brain scans show the vast rate and volume of growth. It’s an astonishing design, created to be built and strengthened through relationships.

Brain development does not stop at 5 years old. In fact, adolescence is as significant a time of brain plasticity as those early years, and the opportunity (and challenges) it presents are as important. When a child reaches adolescence, what happens in the brain is like a time of pruning. Depending on the environment a child is in, the connections in the brain that are used are strengthened while those that are not, are removed. Adolescence is an important window of opportunity, a chance to bring reinforcement to strong, healthy foundations, but also to build in new ones where previously there have been gaps.

I’ve invested much of my working life in youth work, been a foster carer to teenagers and am now raising teenage daughters, but as my high school teachers will attest, science was never my forte, and I’m certainly not a brain specialist. However, exploring and understanding some of the discoveries about how the brain develops during this time is vital if we’re to understand our teenagers better and respond to them in a way that encourages, builds and grows them.

For example, the limbic system, where our reward processing is centred, the bit that gives you the kick when you take a risk, is hypersensitive during this time. Simultaneously, the pre-frontal cortex, the part which inhibits (or not!) dangerous behaviours (because of the development of cause-and-effect thinking) is not yet fully developed. That’s why teenagers are more likely to do some wild, sometimes risky things!

The prefrontal cortex is also responsible for understanding other people’s feelings and perspective, and this area is still very much developing throughout adolescence and beyond. Knowing this information can help us to reframe our frustration at our teenager’s apparent selfishness, into recognising that they are still learning how to understand other people and will therefore meet challenges (and need support) as they learn.

A period of life that is often written off as being an inevitably tough time, or where adults are powerless is, in reality, a time often characterised by misunderstanding in the context of huge transition. Whilst it's a time of significant challenge and opportunity for all families (adolescents or adults!) it’s amplified for care experienced children and their adults.

Author:
Claire for Home for Good


Date published:
June 2021


Tags:
Articles


Share:


More on teenagers

Understanding Adolescence: Things that make a difference

Understanding Adolescence: Things that make a difference

It is not an exaggeration to say that great wraparound care for families can be life changing

Read more
Understanding Adolescence: Questions and Decisions

Understanding Adolescence: Questions and Decisions

All children who are fostered or have been adopted have experienced trauma, whatever the details of their story, and trauma has a profound impact on brain development.

Read more
Our heart for teenagers

Our heart for teenagers

Home for Good is passionate about finding a home for every child, at every age.

Read more

You might also be interested in

Journeying towards transformation

Articles

Journeying towards transformation

Planning your roadmap for change

Read more
Welton Baptist Church

Articles

Welton Baptist Church

Home for Good Church - In focus

Read more
Reflecting on Good Friday

Articles

Reflecting on Good Friday

Despite the outward appearance of a crushing setback, Good Friday was a day of triumph, unveiling God's divine plan and the true nature of his reign.

Read more
The Church: a community of shared light

Articles

The Church: a community of shared light

Our Northern Ireland and Nations’ Lead, Roger Cooke shares some reflections on fire, community and the Olympic Games.

Read more

I would like to find out what is
going on in my area

Join our mailing list for the latest Home for Good news and ways to get involved.

Together we can find a home for every child who needs one.

£
Other amount
£
Other amount

£25 per month could help us create and collate inspiring articles and blogs that encourage and inform the families and communities who care for vulnerable children