The first volume of readings for the Child Development in Social Context series concentrates on the imporatnce of social relationships in the young child’s life. Early readings summarise recent research on childres’s emotional attachments. But relationships are also the context of much of their early play and learning. There are readings to illustrate how parents ‘frame’ , guide and ‘scaffold’ young children’s development, with special reference to the way childfren are intiated into using language as a tool for learning. The cross- cultural dimension of early development is a particular focus of this volume, which concludes with readings on the construction of personal identity. First published in 1991. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.