Master of Science [M.S] [Education and Child Studies: Child and Family Science] From Leiden University

Child and Family Science is one of the nine specialisations of the master?s programme in Education and Child Studies that you can choose at Leiden University.

The master specialisation Child and Family Science focuses on child development in the context of different caregiving circumstances. The courses cover both normative and problematic caregiving, ranging from sensitive and warm parenting to abuse and neglect, and from stable family circumstances to divorce and temporary foster care.

An important part of the curriculum is the study of evidence based prevention and intervention programmes to improve caregiving qualities of parents and professional caregivers.

You will study key questions that address the most important processes in caregiving, parenting and child development. Questions that are central to Child and Family Science include:

• Which early experiences increase the risk of developing behavioral problems?
• Do parents? childhood experiences affect the way they raise their children?
• What circumstances are important for the development of adopted and foster children?
• How do neurobiological processes influence the behavior of parents and children?
• What is the role of genetic factors and the interaction between genetic predisposition and environment in child development and in parenting behavior?
• How do day care experiences relate to child development?
• What are the prevalence, causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect?
• How can interventions contribute to the improvement of parenting qualities?
• How do new and alternative family types relate to child development?
• How does culture play a role in parenting and child development?

Why choose this specialisation?

If you wish to become an expert in the field of child development, parenting styles, raising children and day care, then Child and Family Science is the specialisation for you. You learn how crucial parents ? both mothers and fathers ? and other caregivers are in shaping child development. Not only in relatively regular settings and circumstances, but also in situations of family violence, institutional neglect, or social upheaval such as divorce.