‘Around 12,000 children are born prematurely in the Netherlands every year. These children experience more problems at a young age than children who were not born prematurely. With research into the causes and consequences of preterm birth, we can better help children and their parents with prevention and treatment.'

Anneloes van Baar is professor of Pedagogical Diagnostics and Treatment

Van Baar conducts research into the psychosocial development of young children. What happens to them when they are born prematurely? How can you identify difficulties with attention and concentration skills, and what does this mean for children and their parents? Other research projects concern the development and influence of gender-specific stereotypes in young children and their parents, the impact on children if one of their parents is diagnosed with cancer, and the experiences of parents with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Van Baar is also working on the further development of diagnostic tools such as tests and questionnaires. For example, the 'Development First!' program was created to improve the early identification of developmental problems. It is suitable for researchers as well as for parents/carers and childcare workers to follow the different developmental milestones of children from 0 to 6 years.

With the results of her research, Van Baar wants to support parents with the development of their child and provide input for (municipal) policy. The Utrecht professor is also a mental health psychologist, chief educator of the Child & Youth mental health program at the BoPP Midden Nederland foundation, and a member of the Education Council of the Federation of Healthcare Psychologists and Psychotherapists.

Van Baar studied and obtained her PhD at the University of Amsterdam in the field of Developmental Psychology and previously worked as a psychologist at the AMC in Amsterdam and the Máxima Medical Center in Veldhoven. She also worked as Manager Quality, Information, Research and Prevention at Adhesie, now Dimence, in Deventer. She was appointed as professor in Pediatric Psychology and Developmental Psychology at Tilburg university from 2003-2008.

Expertises

• Development of children with perinatal risk factors
• Diagnostic assessments
• Pediatric Psychology

• Recent research in our group
• Ontwikkeling Voorop! (in Dutch)