Monitoring children’s development in primary care services

Globally, at least one in six children experience a developmental difficulty. However, developmental screening and monitoring are seldom supported by accessible, evidence-based assessments and interventions or effective referral pathways. Primary care services to identify and monitor children at risk of developmental delays and to support them and their families are the first step in building comprehensive services.

Currently there is no generalizable guidance on best practice approaches for monitoring children’s development in primary care services, despite recommendations for this by professional associations, and the use of developmental milestones in some child health services and in national norms and standards.

WHO’s MCA convened a virtual meeting from 9 – 10 June 2020 to discuss a way forward. The aim was to agree on how best to monitor children 0 - 3 years of age for risk of developmental delay, disorder or disability in primary care services, considering factors at the level of the child, the family and the community.