The MALIKA framework
The MALIKA Model of Early Regulation & Development
The MALIKA framework is being developed to help connect early regulation, developmentally appropriate stimulation, and responsive caregiving.
Three guiding questions
What is the baby communicating?
What does the baby need right now?
How can the adult respond in a way that supports regulation and development?
Observe → Understand → Respond → Observe again
A practical reflection tool for everyday life. It is not a clinically validated assessment or scoring instrument.
Step 1
Observe
Notice the baby's movement, face, gaze, sounds, and behaviour without rushing to conclusions.
Step 2
Understand
Consider the context: hungry, tired, wanting closeness, ready to play, or needing a pause.
Step 3
Respond
Respond calmly and appropriately — holding, pausing, feeding, or inviting play.
Step 4
Observe again
See how the baby responds, then adjust. No response has to be perfect.
Concepts it connects
Infant communication
Babies communicate through movement, facial expression, gaze, crying, and behaviour. It is an early language that adults can learn.
Developmental readiness
Each baby has their own timing and way. Stimulation tends to be more meaningful when it follows the baby's readiness cues, not age alone.
Adult co-regulation
Babies can't yet fully soothe themselves. A calm adult nearby helps the baby's regulation system develop.
Responsive stimulation
Good stimulation isn't about quantity. It is well timed, includes pauses, and stops when the baby signals tiredness.
More than milestones
Developmental milestones are useful reference points, but they don't capture the whole of a baby's experience: comfort, relationships, and how they meet the world.
Established evidence and the MALIKA framework
Widely supported by evidence
The importance of responsive caregiving, secure relationships, and breastfeeding for infant health and development is widely recognised in research and international health guidance.
What MALIKA is developing
How MALIKA brings these concepts together into one practical framework is still being studied and refined through practice and research.