2.1 Factors that influence babies and children’s health

There are many factors that can influence children’s health, either in a positive or negative way. Some of the factors are within the child, others are factors within the family, wider community or society.

To explain the factors that can influence children’s health, Figure 3 is adapted from Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) theory of bioecological systems. Bronfenbrenner developed his theory to explain how you must look at the child and their immediate and wider environment, to identify the factors that affect their development. However, the different influences can’t be neatly separated out because the interaction between the different systems influence development and health.

Figure 3 Adapted from Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Bio-ecological systems

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This is a diagram with a set of circles inside one another. In the smallest, inner circle are the words ‘Child Microsystem’. In the next circle are the words ‘Family Mesosystem’. In the next circle are the words ‘Wider community Exosystem’ and in the largest, outer circle are the words ‘Society Macrosystem’.

Figure 3 Adapted from Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) Bio-ecological systems

Now look at some of the factors within each of the systems.