AAPCH Responsive Parenting Position Statement

AAPCH

The Australian Association of Parenting and Child Health (AAPCH) is an international organisation of key agencies in Australia and New Zealand providing early parenting education, guidance and support for professionals working with families and young children. AAPCH is committed to optimising the physical, social and emotional health and wellbeing of children.

CHILD SAFE COMMITMENT STATEMENT

The AAPCH recognises the importance and is committed to providing safe, respectful and inclusive environments for all children and young people. We believe every child has the right to grow free from abuse, neglect or exploitation, and to thrive within families and communities that support their wellbeing and development. We foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility to ensure that children and young people are protected and supported.

AIM

This position paper aims to highlight the importance of responsive parenting during the early years of life, a critical period in biological and social development. Young children communicate their needs in many ways, and crying is one of the most powerful and effective forms of communication. Crying serves as a survival mechanism intended to create a response from parents to ensure that the child is protected and nurtured (Bos et al., 2014). Repeated or cumulative stress such as excessive crying or trauma can lead to elevated stress hormones in the developing brain, disrupting neural development and increased risk of pathology (Naeem et al., 2022). In contrast, when the parent responds sensitively, for example, by comforting a crying child, hormones such as dopamine are released, helping the infant become calm and enhancing the bond between the infant and parent.

The AAPCH advocates that all clinical interventions, parental education and/or guidance should be informed by evidence-based research to enhance the development of positive parent–child relationships and optimal biopsychosocial and developmental outcomes (Roby et al., 2021.

DEFINITION

Infants are born depending on their caregivers to regulate their behaviour, emotions and physiology. Responsive caregiving involves noticing, understanding, and responding appropriately to a child’s cues and is essential for health, safety, and development (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020).

Responsive parenting—characterized by sensitivity and timely support—lays the foundation for secure attachment and healthy self-regulation. (Korom and Dozier, 2021)

“Responsiveness, a mother’s/caregiver’s prompt, contingent and appropriate interaction with the child, is a vital parenting tool with wide-ranging benefits for the child, from better cognitive and psychosocial development to protection from disease and mortality”

 (WHO, 2006 pp.996)

KEY PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIVE PARENTING

The early years of life are a critical period of rapid brain development, during which the foundations for a child’s lifelong health and wellbeing are established. Evidence from neuroscience and best‑practice frameworks highlights the importance of investing in early parenting support. Parenting approaches characterised by high levels of warmth and responsiveness are consistently associated with the most positive outcomes for children, including secure attachment, emotional regulation, and optimal cognitive development (Santana‑Ferrándiz et al., 2025; Lobo et al., 2024).

The following key principles underpin responsive parenting practice:

  • Supporting parents to respond sensitively to their child’s needs while developing their own self‑regulation skills.
  • Focusing on serve‑and‑return interactions that are child‑led and responsive.
  • Emphasising the importance of consistent and persistent caregiving responses.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Supporting Parents to Respond Sensitively and Build Self‑Regulation

In practice, responsive parenting is supported when:

  • Parents are encouraged to pause, observe, and interpret their child’s cues before responding.
  • Child behaviour is understood through the lens of underlying needs rather than control or punishment.
  • Parents are supported to recognise their own emotional responses and how these influence caregiving interactions.
  • Parenting support services prioritise strengthening parental confidence, emotional awareness, and the capacity to remain calm and regulated during times of stress.

Emotional regulation in childhood develops primarily through interactions with caregivers, highlighting the importance of co-regulation in early development (WHO, 2020).

Focusing on Serve‑and‑Return, Child‑Led Interactions

Practical application of serve‑and‑return interactions includes:

  • Caregivers noticing and responding promptly and appropriately to infant cues such as eye contact, vocalisations, gestures, and crying.
  • Interactions being guided by the child’s interest, readiness, and tolerance rather than adult‑directed agendas.
  • Everyday caregiving routines—such as feeding, nappy changes, soothing, and play—being recognised as opportunities for meaningful connection and communication.
  • Parents being encouraged to follow their child’s lead and build interactions around the child’s cues and signals.

Serve-and-return interactions are critical for building neural connections and strengthening brain architecture, particularly those supporting communication, emotional wellbeing, and social development (Centre on the Developing Child, n.d.).

Emphasising Consistent and Persistent Caregiving Responses

Consistency and persistence are evident when:

  • Caregivers respond in predictable and reliable ways, supporting the child’s sense of safety and trust.
  • Responses are maintained over time, even when distress or challenging behaviour is repetitive or intense.
  • Boundaries are upheld calmly and consistently, alongside reassurance and emotional support.
  • Parents understand that repetition is a normal and necessary part of early learning and emotional development.

Consistent, responsive caregiving supports attachment security and protects against the negative effects of stress on development (Santana‑Ferrándiz et al., 2025).

A Systems‑Level Approach

At a broader service and systems level, responsive parenting is supported when:

  • Parenting programs acknowledge and support caregiver to recognise the impact of excess stress and emotional challenges.
  • Health professionals model calm, respectful, and reflective relationships with parents.
  • Education supports parents to recognise both overt and subtle infant cues.
  • Services reinforce that early learning and relationship building occur through ordinary, responsive day‑to‑day interactions.
  • Infant behaviour is consistently framed as communication, not manipulation.
  • Messaging reassures parents that responsive caregiving does not “spoil” children but instead promotes healthy neurological and emotional development.
  • Expectations around infant development and emotional expression are realistic and developmentally informed.
  • Long‑term relationship building is prioritised over short‑term behavioural correction.

Responsive parenting is fundamental to lifelong health, wellbeing, and child development. Sensitive and consistent caregiving from early infancy supports family mental and physical health, encourages healthy lifestyles, and promotes children’s confidence in engaging with others. Through secure, nurturing relationships, children develop self‑esteem, a positive sense of self, and a strong foundation for learning and social participation.

Sustained responsive parenting fosters safety, predictability, and emotional connection within caregiving relationships. These relationships are central to healthy brain development and help buffer the impact of stress through warm, responsive interactions. Services who model responsivity also strengthen parents’ confidence by helping them feel supported rather than judged Together, these effects highlight the critical role of responsive parenting in building resilience and supporting optimal developmental outcomes for children and families.

REFERENCES

  • Bos, P. A., Montoya, E. R., Terburg, D., & van Honk, J. (2014). Cortisol administration increases hippocampal activation to infant crying. Human Brain Mapping, 35(10), 5116–5126.
  • Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (n.d.). Serve and return interaction shapes brain architecture. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/serve-and-return/
  • Eshel, N., Daelmans, B., Cabral de Mello, M., & Martines, J. (2006). Responsive parenting: Interventions and outcomes. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 84(12), 991–998.
  • Korom, M., & Dozier, M. (2021). The importance of responsive parenting for vulnerable infants. Advances in child development and behaviour, 61, 43-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2021.03.001
  • Lobo, E., et al. (2024). Practices and outcomes of responsive caregiving on child neurodevelopment and mental health. BMJ Open.
  • Morris, S.S., Price, A., McKenzie, V., & Kemp, L. (2023). “You do need to do the interaction”: Mothers’ perceptions of responsive parenting following a home‐based parenting intervention. Infant Mental Health Journal, 44(3), 422-436. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.22037
  • Naeem, N., et al. (2022). The neurobiology of infant attachment-trauma. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
  • Rivero, M., Vilaseca, R., Cantero, M., Valls-Vidal, C., Leiva, D., Muratori, P., & Levantini, V. (2023). Relations between Positive Parenting Behaviour during Play and Child Language Development at Early Ages. Children, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030505
  • Roby, E., Canfield, C. F., & Mendelsohn, A. L. (2021). Promotion of parental responsivity. Paediatrics, 148(2).
  • Santana‑Ferrándiz, M., Ibáñez‑Pérez, J., & Moret‑Tatay, C. (2025). Empathy and parental sensitivity in attachment. Children, 12(4).
  • World Health Organization. (2020). Guidelines on early childhood development and responsive caregiving.