What is the Ecological Correlation Model?
While numerous theoretical frameworks have emerged in psychological literature, the ecological theory has become one of the most widely used paradigms in the field. Ecological theory is among the first theories to integrate both individual and contextual factors. In the ecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1977) the child is the centre point and develops and thrives on interactions between persons, family units, and the broader social context. An ecological framework for early childhood development considers the multiple ways in which neighbourhood settings may impact early childhood development. The chances for successful early physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language development are strongly influenced by the environments in which children grow up, live and learn (Kershaw et al, 2005). Child developmental outcomes are influenced by the level of resources available in communities, by neighbourhood characteristics such as poverty, residential instability, lone parents and ethni
