Personal, social and emotional development (PSED)

Early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework

The statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) says:

"Children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. Children should be supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, they will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through supported interaction with other children, they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide a secure platform from which children can achieve at school and in later life."

The help for early years providers website, from the Department for Education, provides information, guidance and practical support for delivering the EYFS framework.

Training

• BEHAVE training
• Wellbeing for children
• Social Development
• Schema training

Publications

We've produced the following resources which you might find useful to support PSED:

• Activities to build important attachments and shape Early Years children's social worlds
• BEHAVE toolkit
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Promoting children's wellbeing - the toolkit
• Promoting children's wellbeing

Visit the publications for sale page to view and order publications.

Tools

PSED roadmap

This is the 'Supporting and understanding children's behaviour' roadmap.

Other tools:

• How to apply the Leuven Scales in practice (Famly blog)
• Early Years 360° Environment Audit (Irresistible Learning)

Self-regulation

• A Self-Regulation Revolution - Why we should focus on it (Famly blog)
• Guide: Self-Regulation Station - The First Steps (Famly guide)
• Self-regulation strategies (EEF)
• Approaches to support self-regulation and executive function (EEF)

Emotion coaching

• Emotion Coaching

The Four Steps of Emotion Coaching.

1. Step 1: Recognise and empathise with the feelings.
2. Step 2: Label and validate the feelings.
3. Step 3: Set limits on behaviour (if needed)
4. Step 4: Explore and agree solutions for the problem.

Louise Michelle Bomber, in 'Inside I'm Hurting', talks about four attachment styles that she believes leads to certain behaviours in children.

Adverse childhood experiences

• Trauma-informed practice in early child development (PDF from A Better Start) 
• Shaping Us (Centre for Early Childhood)

Lancashire Quality Awards

This award is an opportunity to reflect on and improve your practice and provision using our award materials and training with mentor support.

• Lancashire Quality Award – well-being for the adults and children (for PVIs)
• Lancashire Quality Award – well-being for the adults and children (for schools)