First way to supporting Emotional and Social Development

Enouraging bonds with babies.

Babies and young children need to feel wanted and cared for. Adults working with babies need to help the babies bond with them. They do this by holding babies close, making lots of eye contact and talking to them using warm tones. This helps the babies feel safe and loved.

Maintaining proximity as a key person.

Children of all ages need a key person when they are in Early Year's Settings. This is an adult who knows them well and with whom they have a special bond with. Adults who are key persons to children will spend time with children to make sure that the children don't feel alone. This close contact is known as proximity. 

Supporting positive behaviour.

As children grow and develop their behaviour changes. There will be times when children show behaviours that are linked to their development, such as tantrums, uncooperativeness or clinginess. These behaviours ae common in children from 18 months to around 3 years. Adults working with children need to support them by being calm, and giving them opportunitues to express their feelings without hurting others, through talk or through play.  

Supoorting children through transitions.

there are a number of transitions that will affect children. Some will be short term, such as a different person collecting them from pre-school one day, while others might be long term, such as divorce or separation of parents. Adults working iwth children need to help them with a range of transitions. They may also help a child who is changing carer, by explaining what is happening or by introducing the child to the new person.When adults support children with transitions, children are less likely to feel anxious or be clingy. Children who are not supported through transitions may start to sleep badly or become very distressed. 

Supporting children's confidence and self esteem. 

Children's confidence and self esteem are linked to the relationships they have with adults, and also the opportunitues the adults provide. Confidence and self esteem enable children to try new skills and develop perserverance. They also help to create new friendships. Children who are not supported by adults are less likely to have confidence or self esteem. Adults can help children gain confidence with friendships by encouraging them to share and be thoughtful towards others. 

Helping children to understand their emotions.

Children need to learn about dealing with their own emotions. Adults can help them do this by at frist naming the emotions. This then helps the children to express how they are feeling in words. Adults can also help children through reading stories, using puppets and talking about emotions. Role play is another way in which adults can help children learn about emotions. 

 Introducing everyday routines.

It is hard fro children to not be with their parents. Adults in Early Year's Settings create routines so that the children know what to expect next. This gives them a feelimg of emotional security. Snack and mealtimes are ofetn part of the routine, and songs and games at certain points in the session help children to know what is about to happen.