Component 2: Developing children's social and ... - KidsMatter

Why social and emotional skills are importantIt is widely accepted that the development ofsocial and emotional skills in early childhoodbenefits all aspects of children’s lifelong learningand development. Children’s developing socialand emotional skills in the early years form thefoundation upon which subsequent learningand development depends, including life skillssuch as thinking, planning and decision making.Notably, social and emotional skills are a protectivefactor for present and future mental health and wellbeing.Children who have developmentally appropriatesocial and emotional skills are more likely tohave better outcomes than children who are lessskilled. For example, children who regulate theiremotions are empathic, relate to peers effectively,respect the rights of others, and perform better atschool. Children who are less skilled tend to havemore negative experiences with peers and adults.This can have lifelong impacts. For example,some children may have limited social skills to join ingroup play, and that can lead to feelings of isolationor rejection and undermine self-confidence.As with other areas of learning, children developsocially and emotionally at different paces. Childrenhave different temperaments, opportunities andexperiences, and a variety of risk and protectivefactors in their lives. Children continue to developand learn these skills over time. High-quality care,that purposefully fosters children’s developing socialand emotional skills through children’s positiverelationships with staff, has been shown to benefitchildren’s mental health and wellbeing, learning,motivation to achieve and cooperate, and thedevelopment of values.Developing social and emotional skills inKidsMatter Early ChildhoodComponent 2 focuses on the following threeareas which contribute to developing socialand emotional skills:Relationships between children and educatorsThis involves developing warm, responsiveand trusting relationships between children andeducators. This provides a foundation for children tolearn and develop social and emotional skills and isa protective factor for mental health.Children’s social and emotional skilldevelopmentWhen educators have an understanding of socialand emotional development, this can assist them tosupport children’s social and emotional developmentthrough intentional teaching and making the most ofeveryday opportunities and interaction.Staff development and supportEducators are best able to form positiverelationships and support social and emotionaldevelopment when they participate in regular staffdevelopment and support. This can occur througha range of different types of development includingmentoring and reflective practice.Social and emotional learning is linked togood mental health and better life outcomes.Children’s social and emotional developmentcan be nurtured and enhanced throughrelationships with the adults in their lives.What social and emotional skills develop inearly childhood?Early childhood is the period of greatest growthand development, including children’s social andemotional skills. Early childhood can be dividedinto three developmental periods that overlap:■■babies (birth to around 18 months)■■toddlers (around 18 months to three years)■■preschoolers (around three to five years).Children are born social beings with a preferencefor social interaction and the capacity to experienceand express emotions, explore their world,develop and learn. In the first 18 months of a child’slife, this development and learning occurs at anastounding rate due to the rapid growth of the baby’sbrain. Babies progress from being highly dependentnewborns to walking, self-assertive individuals withgrowing language skills.Children’s social and emotional skills are constantlydeveloping at different ages and stages. Skills buildupon earlier skills, are often inter-related and affectother areas of development such as language,thinking, planning and decision making. Children’sdevelopment of social and emotional skills is alsodependent upon development in these other areasand associated brain growth. Babies and toddlersengage in more concrete thinking based on whatthey can see. Preschoolers begin to have moreconscious control and use abstract thinking, suchas understanding of the past and the future to guidetheir thoughts, feelings and actions. However, itis useful to remember that these skills are justbeginning in preschoolers and that they may find itdifficult to make responsible decisions and ‘do theright thing’ on their own.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing23

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing24KidsMatter Early Childhood has organised children’ssocial and emotional skills into three core areas thatare considered essential for children’s developmentof good mental health and wellbeing. These providea useful way of conceptualising, organising andplanning social and emotional development acrossthe early childhood period. The core KidsMatterEarly Childhood social and emotional skill areas are:Sense of self: Children’s developing capacity to feelpositive about themselves and their capabilities.Social skills: Children’s developing capacity tointeract successfully with others.Emotional skills: Children’s developing capacityto recognise, express and regulate feelings.SocialskillsSense of selfEmotionalskillsAs this diagram shows, these areas overlap andsome skills may fall into more than one area.Children may also sometimes demonstrate differentskill levels at different times or in different situations.For example, a child may demonstrate unexpectedpatterns of behaviour and operate at a youngerlevel at times of increased stress, such as duringtransition and change. These three skill areas arenow described in more detail for babies, toddlersand preschoolers.Sense of selfChildren’s sense of self includes recognising thatthey are individual beings separate from othersand have their own thoughts, feelings, wants andgoals. Children become more independent andautonomous as they grow and develop. Children arepredisposed to interact with others to createexperiences that enable them to feel good aboutwho they are, to see themselves as capable, to buildself-confidence and to continue to be motivated tolearn and engage in new experiences.For children to develop their sense of self, it isinvaluable for them to have opportunities to makechoices, explore, develop and practise new skills.Skilled caregivers act as a secure base from whichchildren can venture and explore but to whom theycan also return for security, comfort and reassurancewhen needed.Supporting children’s developing sense of self linksKidsMatter Early Childhood with the underlyingPrinciples that support the Learning Outcomes inthe Early Years Learning Framework. For example,the Principles of secure, respectful and reciprocalrelationships assist children to feel safe, secure andsupported. When children trust their environment,they are able to learn about themselves and howthey relate to their world, feel safe to explore anddevelop self-confidence. This is one way thateducators can integrate the Early Years LearningFramework with Component 2 of KidsMatter EarlyChildhood. Connections between the Early YearsLearning Framework and the National QualityStandard related to Component 2 are exploredat the end of this section.

BabiesIn their first few months, babies actively interact with others but do not have the understanding that they existas a separate person from their caregivers until they are around nine months old. At this stage, babies maybegin to experience separation anxiety when they are apart from their caregivers as they are adjusting to theirnew level of understanding and resulting feelings of fear that perhaps their caregiver may not return. At thisearly stage of developing a first sense of self, babies think that others have the same thoughts and feelingsas they do.Children between one and two years:■■begin to distinguish ‘me’ from ‘not me’■■begin to have their own thoughts, desires and feelings■■practise their skills and begin to see themselves as capable■■use responses from others to build a positive sense of self■■may experience increased separation anxiety.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing25From birth, Jamie’s parents responded to her needsquickly, smiled at her and held her close when shewas upset.This helped Jamie feel secure and develop a sense of trustin the world. As she grew, Jamie gradually began toexperiment with making things happen through her own actions.When she smiled at her mother, her mother smiled back at her.She liked to reach out and touch the bumblebee on her play matand make it move with her hand over and over again. By the ageof one, her parents discovered that Jamie responded differently tosituations compared to her older brother, and she was developingher own individuality. By 18 months, Jamie also began to assert herindependence by often refusing to do things and shaking her headto things she did not like. She displayed curiosity about people andher surroundings by pointing out things to her parents that she foundinteresting, such as dogs or birds when she was playing in the park.Jamie showed she felt confident in her ability to do some things,like taking the lid off a cup, without any help.

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing32PreschoolersChildren become more independent in the preschoolperiod. Supported by their increased language,thinking, planning and organising capacities,their emotional skills also become more advanced.Preschoolers’ emotional skills include the developingability to:■■wait and show patience for things they want■■manage a range of feelings such as anxiety,sadness and frustration■■become more tuned in to the feelings of others■■use language to express how they are feelingand to acknowledge the feelings of others■■make judgements about themselves and feelpride and shame.At the age of four, Edin can now expressmore complex emotions depending onthe situation.He loves to play outside and often laughs whenhe is running around the garden. He hid hisface in his hands when he didn’t quite make it tothe toilet in time. He can use words to describehis feelings, telling his mother how excited hewas when his uncle was coming over for a visit.Edin can wait for things sometimes, like whenhis father takes him to the supermarket andbuys him a treat for after dinner. Edin has a fewdifferent ways to make himself feel better whenhe feels sad or worried, including hugging hisfavourite teddy and seeking out his parents fora cuddle.

Social and emotional skills continue to develop as children growand interact with adults and other children. Development remainsinfluenced by children’s early experiences. This highlights theimportance of quality experiences in the early years.Getting ready for school‘We carry our infant story insideand live it in our close relationships.’– Gerhardt, 2004.Social and emotional skills of children who manage well inschool include:■■having positive attitudes about themselves and their abilities■■being able to understand their feelings and those of others■■regulating their feelings and behaviours■■getting along with peers and adults■■cooperating, following directions, and concentrating where necessary■■being motivated to solve problems with others■■becoming respectful and contributing members of the community.Children are primed to learn core social and emotional skills.Core social and emotional skills enable children to:KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing33■■feel good about themselves■■recognise and manage their feelings■■interact successfully with others.

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing34The four following tables provide an overview of the three core areas of social and emotionalskill development in early childhood, and provide examples of these skills for babies,toddlers and preschoolers.Overview of core social and emotional skills in early childhoodSense of selfIn early childhood, children areforming their sense of self inrelation to others and developingskills such as:Social skillsSocial skills refer to children’sdeveloping capacity to interactsuccessfully with others andinclude:Emotional skillsEmotional skills refer to children’sdeveloping capacity to recogniseand regulate feelings, and include:■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■being able to recognise their own thoughts, desires and feelingsfeeling good about themselves and their abilitiesseeing themselves as capable individualsbecoming independentbeing curious and motivated to solve problems and seeing themselvesas ‘doers’ with self-initiated goals.experiencing enjoyable, pleasurable interactions and relationshipspro-social behaviours such as learning to take turns, cooperating,appreciating diversity, communicating effectively, and respondingappropriately to people and situationsdeveloping their relationship skills by widening their social network,developing preferences and forming friendshipsbeginning to negotiate solutions to conflicts using words to describetheir feelings and listening to others.developing their ability to recognise, express and understand theirown feelingsmoving from regulating their emotions in partnership with others, toself-regulating their feelings and behaviours, including being able tomanage negative feelings such as anxiety, sadness and frustrationlearning that others have feelings too■■developing their ability to recognise and label others’ feelings andresponding accordingly.

Babies (birth to around 18 months)Sense of self Social skills Emotional skills■■■■■■■■Children become able todistinguish themselvesfrom others.Children increasingly engagein goal-directed behaviour.Children become aware oftheir relationships with others.Children are becoming awareof their growing skills.Some typical social and emotional skills■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■Children are born tuned in tosocial stimuli.Initially they show a preferencefor communication with theirprimary caregiver.Later, children becomeincreasingly attuned to thewider social world aroundthem and enjoy socialinteraction with more people.Expresses emotions such as happiness, anger, contentment, interest and surpriseSocial smiles and vocalisations (for example, laughter)Responds to their nameResponds preferentially to primary caregiversEngages in self-soothing behaviourLifts arms up when wanting to be picked upShows wariness, and sometimes fear of strangersEnjoys a game of peek-a-booShows awareness of others’ emotional reactions by reacting themselvesShows increasing eye contactShows resistance when separated from close adults■■■■■■Children display and appreciateprimary emotions.Children use simple methodsto comfort themselves.Children initially rely oncaregivers for emotionalsupport and regulation,becoming more independentas they grow and develop.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing35■■■■■■■■■■■■Uses parents or carers as a secure base from which to exploreHolds objects up to othersLooks at the reactions of their caregivers to gauge how to react when faced with new situations (social referencing)Imitates othersPlays independentlyBecomes excited when greeted by a familiar adult who loves to play with them.Note: This table is illustrative and is not exhaustive. Ages at which skills appear are approximate and skills may emerge earlier or later for individual children. Some skills fall intomore than one area.

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing36Toddlers (around 18 months to three years)Sense of self Social skills Emotional skills■■■■■■■■Children are becoming awareof characteristics of themselves(for example, body parts).Children’s sense of self isconcrete and based on thingsthat they can see and do.Children can express and assertthemselves.Children can anticipatebehaviour of others based ontheir past experiences with them.Some typical social and emotional skills■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■Says ‘no’ to indicate preferencesBecomes more able to cooperate with directionsRecognises self in the mirror■■■■■■Children can identify others byname, especially close friendsand relatives.Children show increased interestin interacting with peers andother adults.Children are learning appropriateways to behave in differentsituations.■■■■■■Children display more complexemotions, and use emotionsintentionally.Children show awarenessof more complex emotionsof others.Children are becoming moreskilled at regulating their ownemotions.Explores and makes sense of their physical and social worlds, such as by dropping or throwing objects andorganising their caregivers’ responses to their behaviourEngages in ‘helping behaviours’, such as gardening, shopping and cleaningExpresses more complex emotions, such as pride, jealousy, embarrassment and guiltPlays alongside other children (‘parallel play’)Demonstrates empathy towards others through affectionate pats and hugsCommunicates the emotions of others (for example, says ‘Mum sad’)■■■■■■Can say their own nameUses personal pronouns (for example, I, me, she, he, you) during social interactionsIdentifies friends and family by name.Note: This table is illustrative and is not exhaustive. Ages at which skills appear are approximate and skills may emerge earlier or later for individual children. Some skills fall intomore than one area.

Preschoolers (around three to five years)Sense of self Social skills Emotional skills■■■■■■■■Children become aware of thegroups that people belong to.Children’s sense of self includesmore abstract aspects, such aslikes and dislikes.Children can identify theirfeelings and needs.Children continue to developtheir self-concept.Some typical social and emotional skills■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■Children display more voluntarycontrol over behaviour andemotions and engage in morecomplex play.Children begin to developlonger-lasting friendships.■■■■Children are learning to express,label and regulate a wider rangeof emotions.Children increase theirunderstanding of the feelings ofothers and use this when formingand developing friendships.Displays empathy towards others and may use language (for example, comforts a peer with a hug or favourite toyand words, or alerts caregiver to help)SharesWaits and takes turnsDisplays more self-controlCompares self with othersDevelops a more complex self-concept (based on characteristics, attitudes, emotions)Develops their self-esteemHas an increased sense of competenceShows self-confidenceShows awareness of a broader range of emotions (for example, understands, recognises and labels emotions inself and others)KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing37■■■■■■■■■■■■■■Forms friendships and wants to please, and be liked by peersExpresses emotions during pretend playResolves conflicts using language (for example, around toy or game choices, or when making everyday choices)Solves problems alone and with others using trial and error, with increased patience and imaginationEngages in more sophisticated play that includes cooperating and negotiating with peersCreates and follows rulesMakes more responsible decisions (for example, on behaving appropriately, playing safely, including others).Note: This table is illustrative and is not exhaustive. Ages at which skills appear are approximate and skills may emerge earlier or later for individual children. Some skills fall intomore than one area.

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing38How children develop socialand emotional skillsYoung children develop socialand emotional skills throughrelationships with importantpeople in their lives. In the first15 months of life, when braingrowth is more rapid than atany other time, foundationalsocial and emotional regulationsystems in babies’ brains arebeing formed. This occursthrough repeated emotionalconnections between babiesand their caregivers. In their dailymoment-to-moment interactionswith children, caregivers arecontributing to building a child’sbrain and developing their socialand emotional skills. As childrengrow, further development occurswithin the context of this earlybrain structure which, over time,becomes more resistant tochange. Hence, experiencesin the early childhood yearsaffect the way children respondand react to the world theylive in for the rest of their lives.Children’s social and emotionalskills develop over time andresearch has shown that earlychildhood is the period ofgreatest development.Social and emotional learning and development involves children:■■learning and developing new skills through a wide range of socialand emotional experiences■■refining and adjusting existing skills and patterns, including adaptingto new and more complex experiences.Caregivers can promote social and emotional development in childrenof all ages and stages by:■■spending time with them■■being warm and responsive■■being emotionally and physically available to children most of the time■■acting as a safe, secure base (a comforting and familiar presence)from which children can explore their world and retreat to whenneeded■■arranging developmentally appropriate experiences, routines andinteractions that promote social and emotional development■■having two-way conversations■■talking to children about what is happening now and what is goingto happen next■■describing and labelling emotions and linking emotions to eventsand behaviours■■modelling effective social and emotional skills■■being predictable, genuine and engaging in meaningful interactions■■being aware of the child’s signals and preferences and following these■■seeking to understand the meaning of a child’s behaviour■■singing, dancing, playing games and having fun■■telling and reading stories about emotions and social situations.The way in which children learn and develop their social andemotional skills changes as they grow.

The following outline gives some developmentally appropriate ways caregivers can promote socialand emotional development in babies, toddlers and preschoolers.1BabiesBabies develop and learntheir social and emotionalskills through their dailyinteractions and emotionalrelationships with theircaregivers. They imitate andinternalise these early socialand emotional experienceswhich lay a foundation forall future development.Caregivers can optimisebabies’ developing socialand emotional skills by:■■engaging in frequentface-to-face interactions,including smiling, laughingand showing joy■■being affectionateand warm■■holding and cuddlingthe baby■■talking to the baby aboutwhat they are doing■■establishing responsiveroutines to help the babybecome regulated■■starting to play simpleand predictable gamestogether, such as fingerplay and imitating noises■■calming the baby whenthey are upset by holding,rocking and patting, andusing a calm, gentle voiceand a kind face.2 ToddlersToddlers continue to developtheir social and emotionalskills through their closerelationships and useimitation to learn from others.Toddlers want to be likeadults and enjoy engaging in‘helping’ behaviours aroundeveryday experiences,such as cooking, cleaning,gardening and shopping.They also begin to testtheir capabilities and theircaregivers’ responses to theirbehaviour and thus begin toorganise and manage theirbehaviour and learn aboutlimits and boundaries andtheir need to adapt.Caregivers can optimisetoddlers’ developing socialand emotional skills by:■■facilitating experiences andinteractions for toddlers toexplore and play■■allowing toddlers toattempt new things forthemselves (such asnegotiating a physicalobstacle, or discoveringhow a new toy works)■■facilitating the child’sdevelopment and practiceof their conflict-resolutionskills■■encouraging andacknowledging positivebehaviour■ ■ helping toddlers managetheir internal strugglebetween their growthand development andtheir need to feel safe,secure and supported(for example, by givinglimited choices).3PreschoolersPreschoolers’ social andemotional developmentcontinues through theirsocial interaction with others.Interactions and friendshipswith their peers and wantingto be liked are featuresof preschool social andemotional development.Caregivers supportpreschoolers’ developingsocial and emotionalskills by:■■providing opportunitiesfor children to engagein storytelling, games,play and creative,hands-on experiences■■arranging opportunitiesfor children to be involvedin meaningful decisionmaking (for example,discussing possible placesto go for an outing)■■giving children controlover their environmentand routines (for example,making choices aroundmeal times and equipment)■■facilitating children’sinteractions anddeveloping friendshipswith their peers■■reflecting and discussingchildren’s experienceswith them■■providing opportunitiesfor independent andgroup problem solving.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing39

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing40What ECEC services can do to foster children’s developing socialand emotional skillsThere is growing evidence that high-quality care enhances children’ssocial and emotional learning and has both short- and long-termpositive mental health outcomes. Services can enhance children’ssocial and emotional learning generally by providing an environmentthat builds and sustains positive relationships between all people atthe service. This aspect of promoting children’s mental health is thefocus of KidsMatter Early Childhood Component 1: Creating a senseof community.The three areas that KidsMatter Early Childhood Component 2 focuseson to foster children’s developing social and emotional skills are:■■relationships between children and educators■■children’s social and emotional skill-development opportunities■■staff development and support.These areas are consistent with the Principles, Practice and LearningOutcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework and are describedin more detail below.Relationships between children and staffThe development of warm, responsive and trusting relationshipsbetween children and educators provides a secure base from whichchildren can explore and learn about their world and other peoplein it. This secure base is the foundation from which children learnand develop social and emotional skills. Positive relationships witheducators help to build children’s resilience—that is, their ability tohandle life’s ups and downs. Within their relationships with educatorsand other staff in ECEC services, children can experience and learnkey social and emotional skills to help them develop close andmeaningful relationships with others.Warm, responsive and trusting relationships between children andeducators:■■optimise children’s development and learning■■provide comfort and support to minimise feelings of stress childrenmay have as they learn to negotiate their world■■provide children with first-hand experiences of social and emotionalskills when modelled by educators and staff, and offer opportunitiesto learn through imitation■■help children maintain a sense of connection to their parents andcarers whilst at the service.Educators can help parents and carers be in the child’s mind andhelp the child know they exist through the use of photos, objects fromhome or conversations at the service. This is also considered furtherin KidsMatter Early Childhood Component 3: Working with parentsand carers.

What do warm, responsive and trusting relationships look like?Being ‘in tune’Sani, a new member of staff, was spending the day with Kay,the toddler room leader, to help her get to know the children,families and routines in the centre.Eighteen-month-old Tim arrived looking teary and unsettled.His mum explained that Tim’s Gran was unwell and had beenrushed to hospital. Kay sat quietly with Tim on the couch readinga story until he felt much more relaxed. Tim cuddled into Kay andthen fell sound asleep. Kay explained to Sani that Tim was usuallyhappy coming into the centre but was probably feeling tired andupset about events at home. Sani was impressed that Kay knewexactly what to do. Throughout the day, Sani noticed that therewere particular children who always singled out Kay if they wantedcomfort, needed help or even needed their nose wiped. Sani alsonoticed that Kay made a special effort to connect with thesechildren and their families.Being ‘in tune’ is the caregiver’s ability to be emotionally connectedwith the child and engage in coordinated interactions with them.This includes sharing positive emotions as well as reading the child’scues, responding to the child and helping to regulate the child’s distress.For example, a caregiver is ‘in tune’ with a baby when they respondto the baby’s cries with soothing behaviours, which settles the baby.This reduces the baby’s stress, helps them learn how to feel calm andenables them to experience positive interactions.‘To truly attend and be there emotionallyis not a skill but a way of being.’– Lloyd-Jones, 2002.Relationships consist of periodsof being ‘in tune’ or ‘in step’ withothers and also periods of being‘out of tune’ or ‘out of step’.A carer can be ‘out of tune’ in anumber of ways, such as beingunavailable, getting frustratedor not being sensitive to thechild’s signals. Being ‘out oftune’ with each other is a normalpart of relationships and offersopportunities for children andcarers to learn:■■that being ‘out of tune’ is partof life and there are manyways to reconnect■■how to manage emotions inthe ‘out of tune’ phase■■how to reconnect and get therelationship back ‘in tune’.Two-year-old Kate, arrivingat the long day care centre,looked around expectantlyfor Sam, the room leader.Sam was usually waitingwith a smiling face to greetthe children, parents andcarers—however, today hewas nowhere to be seen.Kate looked around the roomfor Sam and then went to playby herself at a table. Later,Sam came in and went to sayhello to Kate. However, Kateturned away and moved toplay in the construction area.After a short time Sam joinedKate at the construction areaand sat down next to her.‘I can see you feel sad andcross because you couldn’tfind me this morning,’ saidSam gently. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’there when you arrived.’Sam sat patiently beside Kateand in a little while she gaveSam some building blocks,inviting him to join in her play.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing41

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing42‘How you are is as important aswhat you do.Don’t just do something, stand thereand pay attention.’– Pawl and St John, 1998.CommunicatingEffective communication is important for developingwarm and responsive relationships.This includes:■■spending moments with the child■■talking with the child■■active, responsive listening, includingdemonstrating that the child has been understood■■appropriately open body languageAdara, who worked in the preschool room,and Charlotte, who worked in the baby room,were sitting having a chat in the staff room.Adara was saying to Charlotte that she wasglad she didn’t have to change nappies all day.Charlotte laughed and pointed out that her dayinvolved a lot more than changing nappies.She also explained, to Adara’s surprise,that she enjoys changing nappies. ‘It’s oftena good time to talk to the babies,’ explainedCharlotte. Initially Adara was a bit confused,but Charlotte explained that when she changesthe babies’ nappies there lots of opportunitiesto make eye contact, copy noises and havefun with them. Charlotte enjoyed this aspectof the nappy changing and she also knew shewas helping the babies with the developmentof many key skills.■■physical affection and touch■■meaning what you say, saying what you meanand keeping your word.

Being consistent and predictable over timeRelationships are built from having manyinteractions over time. Children learn to predictbehaviour from their primary caregivers basedon their previous experiences with them.Consistently positive experiences increase children’santicipation that something good will happen andencourage continuing engagement. Children benefitfrom caregiving that is consistent and predictable asthis helps children to make sense of their world andgives them the motivation, confidence and skills toengage with others, explore their world and learn.Engaging in interactions that reflect individualknowledge and understanding of the childIndividual knowledge of the child includes educatorsbeing aware of a child’s:■■emotional and physical needs■■likes and dislikes■■thinking and learning styles■■usual behaviour including their signals, moods,triggers and facial expressions■■experiences that they have shared together.Educators can develop individual knowledgeof children in their care by:■■taking time to observe them carefully■■considering possible meanings for children’sbehaviour■■spending one-on-one time with each child,every day■■seeking more information from children,their parents and carers, and other staff■■reflecting on observations and previousoutcomes alone and with others■■working with children in small groups.Being self-awareIt is important for educators to be aware of how theirinteractions with children affect children’s developingsocial and emotional skills. Children learn aboutthemselves through interactions with others.How adults interact with children forms a largepart of the story children have about themselvesand influences children’s developing social andemotional skills. With increased self-awareness,educators can maximise their positive interactionswith children and support children’s mental healthand wellbeing, and their own reflective practice.Self-awareness includes educators being aware of:■■their own strengths and limitations■■the skills and knowledge they bring to their rolewith children■■how they ‘sound’ to children and how children areexperiencing them■■what behaviour and situations ‘push their buttons’and could create negative thoughts or feelings;and how this could affect their interactionswith children.SummaryService structures, policies and staff practices canenhance children’s social and emotional learning byenabling staff to provide warm and responsive carefor children. This includes educators:■ ■ being ‘in tune’ and emotionally connected■ ■ communicating effectively and appropriately■ ■ being consistent and predictable■ ■ engaging in interactions that reflect individualknowledge and understanding of each child■ ■ being self-aware.Children’s social and emotional skill-developmentopportunitiesChildren benefit from having plenty of opportunitiesto develop, learn, and practise their social andemotional skills in their everyday experiences witheducators and peers. When educators purposefullyarrange experiences or respond to spontaneousopportunities with children in their care,they support children to developand enhance their social andemotional skills. This plays akey role in children’s abilityto make and maintainpositive relationships,now and throughouttheir lives. A balanceof holistic approachesto teaching,intentionally plannedand child-initiatedexperiences enhanceschildren’s social andemotional learning.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing43

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing44Educator-supportedexperiencesBy adopting a purposefullynurturing and non-directiverelating style when interactingwith children, arranging theenvironment and harnessingeveryday opportunities to fosterchildren’s social and emotionaldevelopment, educators canhelp build children’s social andemotional skills over this crucialdevelopmental period.Educators can foster thedevelopment of children’s socialand emotional skills through:■■intentional teaching of coresocial and emotional skills■■making the most of everydayexperiences.Intentional teaching of core social and emotional skillsEducators can help children learn social and emotional skills by:■■having plans and curriculum for developing and monitoringchildren’s social and emotional skills■■arranging developmentally appropriate experiences for socialand emotional skill learning■■having developmentally appropriate expectations■■arranging the physical environment for social and emotionalskill learning■■using concrete examples to show how and when to use a skill■■building on children’s existing skills■■providing regular, spontaneous encouragement and feedback■■commenting on and labelling what children are doing■■scaffolding children’s learning through suggestions and demonstration■■providing many opportunities for practice across familiar andnew situations■■modelling social and emotional skills through their own behaviourwith children, families and other staff in the ECEC service.Some ECEC services may decide to use an existing social andemotional learning program. These can provide guidance, tools andresources to target the development of one or more skills. If you arethinking about implementing one of these programs, you may liketo discuss the use of programs to assist children’s development ofsocial and emotional skills at your service with your KidsMatter EarlyChildhood Facilitator.

Making the most of everyday experiencesChildren learn most effectively through their engagement in meaningfulexperiences during their day at the service. Staff can make the mostof the many incidental social and emotional learning opportunities thatarise each day in their interactions with children.Examples of incidental learning opportunities include:■■making eye contact and naming what is happening during routineswith babies, such as nappy changing and feeding■■talking with children about events and their feelings and the feelingsof others (for example, one child knocking over another’s block tower)■■moving close to children when events are escalating and sitting downwith them while talking about what is happening and how everyonemay be feeling■■helping a child who is finding it difficult to separate from their parentor carer■■helping an isolated child to come up with some ideas for approachinga group of children they would like to play with and staying close whilethey try it out■■acknowledging a child for comforting an upset friend and labellingwhat they did.Kieran had fallen over in the outdoor area and, although notinjured, was feeling a little upset and went to sit on a cushionin the book corner.Stefan, his friend, noticed he was upset and quietly went to sitbeside Kieran and gently stroked his arm. Paul, the room leader,was standing nearby and noticed what had happened. He joinedthe boys to offer some comfort too. When Kieran was feeling a littlebetter Paul turned to Stefan and said, ‘You noticed Kieran neededa friend and you helped him to feel better.’ Kieran smiled at Stefanand the two boys went to play in the sandpit together.When developmentally appropriate, children’s social and emotional skilldevelopment can be enhanced when experiences are discussed andreflected upon with staff and peers. This also benefits children’s learningin other areas.Four-year-old Kamircomplained loudly asthree-year-old Shannongripped the red fire enginehe was playing with andforcefully attempted topull it away from him.A loud tug-of-warcommenced. Melanie,the kindergarten teacher,moved close, bent down,touched the backs of eachchild and positioned herselfso they could see her face.‘Shannon, you really wantto play with the fire engine.Look at Kamir’s face.He’s upset because it’s histurn now. Let’s see howwe can solve this problem.What’s your idea Kamir?’Kamir said, ‘When I’mfinished!’ Melanie asked,‘Shannon, what do youthink?’ ‘No, I want a turnnow!’ replied Shannon.Melanie picked up a yellowtruck and started pushingit along the track closeby. Shannon and Kamirwatched. Kamir gently pulledthe red fire engine back andstarted pushing it along thetrack. He picked up anotherfire engine and gave it toShannon. Shannon startedpushing it along the trackbehind Kamir. Melaniemoved back slightly andsaid, ‘Kamir and Shannonare both pushing fire engineson the track,’ then continuedto observe them playing froma distance.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing45

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing46Child-initiated experiencesChildren create valuable learning opportunitiesfor themselves through their interactions with theirworld and the people in it. For example, youngbabies stare longer at people and things they areinterested in. When they have had enough theylook away. They frown, fuss and cry when they aredistressed. A sensitive caregiver will pick up onbabies’ cues and respond in a warm and sensitiveway. When they become toddlers, children are verybusy exploring and making sense of their socialand physical world. This can bring them into conflictwith their caregivers and peers. Defiant behaviouror tantrums in this age group can be understoodas a response to a situation that the child is notyet able to handle, such as dealing with frustrationor tiredness. Caregivers who are able to respondconsistently and calmly will help toddlers to developtheir social and emotional skills. As preschoolers,children learn to generalise their social andemotional skills to new situations through playand interactions with their peers. They benefitfrom opportunities to make decisions andpredictions and solve problems. While thereare general developmental similarities, eachchild is unique and has their own temperament,developmental history, learning style, interestsand preferences.Ava, who worked in the baby room, noticedthat playing some gentle music seemed tohelp soothe six-month-old Sophie when shewas unsettled or upset.Ava, following Sophie’s lead, made sure thatshe always had some music available and oftenused it to help calm Sophie. When the musicwas playing Ava also spent some time talkinggently with Sophie about the music.Staff can foster children’s social and emotional skilldevelopment by:■■following each child’s lead■■being sensitive and responsive to children’sneeds, preferences and interests■■arranging experiences that allow children tochoose their own learning opportunities.Four-year-old Lewis was full of news aboutthe house that was being built next doorto his.He was particularly excited today becausea digger truck had arrived. Heather,the kindergarten assistant, had been lookingfor an opportunity to help Lewis build morefriendships and this gave her an idea.Heather put out some trucks and diggers inthe construction area. Soon Lewis was having agreat time playing with the trucks and using theblocks to show Heather what the house lookedlike. Some other children, Taylor and Jack,began to show interest in what was going onand Heather invited them to join in. With supportand encouragement from Heather, Lewisshowed Jack and Taylor how the digger movedthings around to help build the house.By purposefully planningexperiences andengaging in nurturing,non-directiveinteractions withchildren, staff canoptimise socialand emotionalskill learning.Children’s learningis most effectivewhen staff membersare responsive and makethe most of the spontaneoussocial and emotional skill learningopportunities that arise in children’s everydayexperiences.All children are born ready to feel,learn and be active participants intheir own development.

Staff development and supportThe educators and staff within an ECEC service are the most valuableand influential resource for developing children’s social and emotionalskills. When educators feel confident that they have the knowledge,skills and capacity to foster children’s developing social and emotionalskills within a supportive environment, they are better able to provideappropriate experiences and opportunities which can benefit children’smental health and wellbeing.Diep had only been working at the kindergarten for a fewweeks. Josh, one of the teachers, noticed that while Diepwas building great one-on-one relationships with the children,she sometimes seemed unsure of what to do when she waswith a larger group of children.Josh mentioned to Chris, the head teacher, what he had noticedabout Diep. Josh said, ‘I’ve been a mentor for new staff before,and I was wondering whether it would be okay if I offered thesame opportunity to Diep?’ Chris said that she had also noticedthat Diep seemed less confident in larger groups but hadn’t had achance to think about how to support her and that sounded like agreat idea. Diep was grateful for Josh’s offer as she knew he hadbeen a teacher for ten years and being mentored by him wouldgive her a chance to learn a lot from him. Together they set upregular times to talk, giving Diep many opportunities to ask Joshlots of questions, start developing her own ideas and try newthings with the children.Some of the educator skills that can foster children’s social andemotional development include having:■■current child-development knowledge■■current best-practice knowledge■■observation and interpretation skills■■relationship skills■■self-awareness■■confidence■■enthusiasm and a positive outlook.In addition, knowing when and how to refer children who areexperiencing difficulties developing adaptive social and emotional skillsto other professionals is also important. This is considered further inKidsMatter Early Childhood Component 4: Helping children who areexperiencing mental health difficulties.It takes ongoing commitment and effort to increase and supporteducators’ knowledge, skills and confidence. ECEC services can buildeducator and staff capacity to foster children’s developing social andemotional skills by providing:■■professional development opportunities■■a supportive environment.Joe and Liz were sitting inthe staff room waiting forthe staff meeting to start.The other staff all filed inand Rayna, the director,started the meeting.Rayna had said she wasgoing to talk about staffsupport, so Joe and Lizwere very curious aboutwhat she had in mind.Rayna began talking aboutsetting up a ‘buddy system’where members of theteam support each other,have opportunities to attendworkshops, and the ideaof ‘reflective journals’. Shewanted to get all the staff’sinput into the centre’s newguidelines. Joe thoughtto himself, ‘Reflectivejournals—that sounds likeextra work. When would wehave time for that?’ Liz thenleaned over to Joe andwhispered that she had donea reflective journal at her lastworkplace, and it had beengreat, really helping her tocope better when work wasstressful. Joe asked if hecould talk to Liz about it abit more after the meeting—less stress sounded great!KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing47

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing48Lin looked over and noticed that Sarahseemed a bit flustered. Sarah had beenvery busy in the babies’ room that morning,so Lin decided to check in with her to seeif she was okay.Before Lin had a chance to talk to Sarah,Sarah came over herself and asked if theycould have a chat. Sarah told Lin that earliershe had become really frustrated with Jordan,one of the children in her primary care group.Jordan wouldn’t stop pushing one of the otherchildren, and she had lost her temper with him:‘I raised my voice with him and I don’t normallydo that, I feel really bad about it.’ Lin listened tohow Sarah felt and asked her some questionsabout why she thought it had happened andwhat she could do next time to reduce thechance of getting so upset. They also cameup with some ideas together around how Sarahcould interact with Jordan during the rest ofthe day to reconnect and maintain her positiverelationship with him. Sarah felt better aftergetting her worries off her chest and was ableto come up with ways to keep herself calmwhen she was feeling a bit overwhelmed.Staff developmentSome ways in which educators’ knowledge,skills and confidence can be enhanced include:■■building relationships amongst educatorsto enable:--knowledge sharing--skill development--increasing confidence.■■engaging in reflective practice to increase:--understanding--insight--awareness.■■formal professional learning■■access to up-to-date, best-practice resources.Educators also benefit from building relationshipswith mental health professionals outside the service.This aspect of staff development and support isconsidered further in KidsMatter Early ChildhoodComponent 4.Staff supportChildren’s social and emotional developmentis optimised when they experience warm,responsive and positive relationships with others.Providing children with positive experiences isenhanced when educators are feeling positiveand confident. Early childhood staff work in achallenging environment. Receiving supportfrom others and sharing experiences improvesstaff wellbeing and benefits children’s social andemotional development.Some of the ways ECEC services can providea supportive environment include providingeducators with:■■leadership and ‘on-the-ground’ support■■time to:--engage in professional conversations--reflect by themselves and with others--plan--develop relationships with children,other educators, and key contactsand professionals outside the service.

Target Areas of Component 2TARGET AREASTarget AreaRelationships betweenchildren and educatorsTarget Area12Children’s social andemotional skilldevelopmentGOALS■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■Warm, responsive and trusting relationships between children andeducators provide a foundation that allows children to learn anddevelop social and emotional skills.Service policies and practices are in place so that the opportunities forchildren and educators to form these relationships are maximised.Educators are able to help children deal effectively with a variety offeelings and behaviours.Educators have an understanding of the core social and emotionalskills that are developing from birth to five years.Social and emotional learning is systematically considered in allexperiences provided for children.The service creates opportunities for children to develop and practisesocial and emotional skills in their daily interactions with educatorsand peers.Educators intentionally teach core social and emotional skills.Educators make the most of spontaneous interactions that arise inchildren’s everyday experiences as skill development and practiceopportunities.Services provide information to families about the service’s social andemotional curriculum and work collaboratively with families to assistchildren’s development of social and emotional skills.KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing49Target Area3Staff developmentand support■■■■■■Educators’ knowledge, skills and capacity to foster children’sdeveloping social and emotional skills are enhanced at the service.The service has a systematic approach to staff development andsupport.Educators share knowledge and develop their skills throughmentoring, professional conversations and reflective practice.

KidsMatter Early Childhood A framework for improving children’s mental health and wellbeing50Some examples of links between Component2 and the NQS Quality Areas:■■1.1.1: Curriculum decision making contributesto each child’s learning and developmentoutcomes in relation to their identity,connection with community, wellbeing, andconfidence as learners and effectiveness ascommunicators.■■3.2: The environment is inclusive, promotescompetence, independent exploration andlearning through play.■■4.2: Educators, coordinators and educatorsare respectful and ethical.■■5.2.2: Each child is supported to managetheir own behaviour, respond appropriatelyto the behaviour of others and communicateeffectively to resolve conflicts.Component 2 of the KidsMatter Early Childhoodinitiative relates to four Quality Areas of the NationalQuality Standard: Educational program and practice;Physical environment; Staffing arrangements;and Relationships with children. When educatorshave an understanding of children’s social andemotional development, they are able to scaffoldexperiences to assist children to become confidentlearners. Play provides an opportunity for childrento experience, express, regulate and learn abouttheir emotions in genuine, meaningful ways.When service policies and practices reflect andmodel respectful relationships, the social andemotional wellbeing of the whole service community(that is, children, families, educators, staff andservice directors) is supported. Finally, educatorsare able to use intentional teaching to support thedevelopment of children’s social and emotional skillsthrough their relationships and experiences.Developing an understanding of children’s socialand emotional development links KidsMatter EarlyChildhood with the underlying Principles thatsupport the Learning Outcomes in the Early YearsLearning Framework. For example, the Principle ofsecure, respectful and reciprocal relationships andreflective practice supports children as they developtheir social and emotional skills. Children learnand practice their problem-solving skills throughtheir play and peer relationships. Educators createlearning environments that encourage childrento explore, construct, create and solve problems.This is one way that educators can integrate theEarly Years Learning Framework with Component 2of KidsMatter Early Childhood.