Why is Social and Emotional Develop Important for Young Children?
Between 0 and 6 are the critical years for a child's social and emotional development. These are the important years for children to begin to gain a sense of identity and belonging, learn how to bond and attach with others and learn the vital skills they need to build relationships. Research tells us that children who do not build the social and emotional skills they need before six years will be severely affected later in life. Social and Emotional development also links with cognitive development. Children need to have well developed social and emotional skills to learn in other areas. Children who feel good and have friends will learn mathematics, literacy and general knowledge must faster at school. Research also tells us there is no relationship between learning letters and numbers early in life and becoming more intelligent later in life! This means the only way to ensure your child succeeds is to nurture their social and emotional development in early childhood. Parents and teachers who push learning letters and numbers between 0-6 will not be accelerating the child's development.

What is Emotional Development?
Emotional development is a child's ability to manage and regulate their own emotions. Children who are emotionally secure will feel a sense of belonging and be attached to at least one main adult in their life. Emotional skills that young children need to develop include:
-Being able to recognise and name emotions
-Being able to express emotions to others
-Being able to recognise and name others emotions 
-Feeling a sense of Empathy for others
-Being able to manage negative emotions and express them in an appropriate way
-Feeling a sense of belonging and security
-Being able to attach to others
-Being able to explore and play independently
-Be able to deal with rejection from other children

What is Social Development:
Social development is the ability to form and maintain relationships with others. Social development is closely connected with emotional development. Social Skills children need to develop include:


-Playing first along side and then with other children
-Initiating play with other children
-Maintaining play with other children
-Leading play ideas with other children
-Following play ideas with other children
-Resolving Conflict situations appropriately with others
-Including other children who may be isolated

How Can We Promote Social and Emotional Development?
Parents and teachers can help young children develop the social and emotional skills they need to succeed. Some children need more support than others. Children with specific disorders or disabilities including Autism, ADHD and Cerebral Palsy may need intensive extra assistance to develop social and emotional skills. Children from vulnerable families including families with drug addiction, domestic violence or who suffer from isolation may need extra support also. All children will benefit from extra support with social emotional development.

What is Challenging Behaviour?
Challenging Behaviour is when children act in a way that adults find hard to manage. All children can exhibit behaviour that's challenging. Challenging behaviour is often the child trying to tell adults that they need attention and love. There is a close relationship between challenging behaviour and low self esteem in children.

Challenging behaviour can be turned around by looking at the cause of the behaviour, finding out what the child is trying to communicate through the behaviour and what the child gets from the behaviour. If an adult can adjust the situation, and adjust what happens as a consequence of the behaviour to become consistent and predictable, while using positive reinforcement and making sure the child feels loved- the child will stop the behaviour. Every thing you need to turn that behaviour around is in our easy 1,2,3 program.