Finding in 2004 that there was no indigenously standardised or validated assessment tool for developmental assessment across the Mainland of the Peoples Republic of China, a series of Griffiths training Courses was commenced by Dr. Denise Challis. By 2007, Griffiths Mental Development Scales 2006 was available and this version was used to train Chinese paediatric neurologists and paediatricians over the following four years so that a major validation could take place. The project was overseen by Dr. Challis. Statistical advice was provided by Professor Brian Faragher at the University of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, who had undertaken the British / International version of the Scales. Pilot studies were undertaken in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Kunming and Hong Kong, followed by a full randomised Validation in the same urban centres undertaken in 2013. The translated Manuals were published in March 2016. Since then until Autumn 2019, with the support of LIH/Olivia’s Place and the Chinese Griffiths Tutors, approximately 100 training Courses have been held across most of the provinces of Mainland China.
The Griffiths Development Scales for China (GDS-C) has been well-received for both clinical work and research outcome measures. It has been described in the prestigious National Paediatric Textbook as recommended for use in China and is fast becoming the gold standard for assessment of development in children with disabilities and paediatric hearing impairment.
