The language of neuroscience is increasingly being used to support assertions about the effects of early experiences on children’s development. This volume in the Early Childhood in Focus series aims to present an overview of the most significant areas of research, starting in the first section with sufficient basic explanation of the brain and how it functions for the research to be understood by people with little or no previous knowledge of the field. The second section gives an overview of the developmental processes involved as the child’s brain grows and matures in constant interaction with the environment, from conception through to adulthood. The third section focuses on the powerful effects of early environments, both physical and social.