Emotional health and wellbeing in early years settings

The importance of good emotional health and wellbeing in the early years of a child's life is crucial to support children to develop a positive sense of themselves and others. This involves the ability to form positive relationships, have confidence and resilience and to develop the necessary coping skills needed later in life.

If you pledge, this is what you are committing to do

• Support and encourage children to learn to manage their emotions, build good relationships, develop resilience, independence and skills for the future.
• Train staff to provide key messages about positive emotional health and wellbeing for children and their families.
• Promote and support staff wellbeing
• Commit to engaging and working with external partner and agencies.

Training and resources

You can access the training and resources below to support you to promote good emotional health and wellbeing within their settings and with their families, and to support you in achieving the pledge.

Training

Early childhood matters - fostering emotional development and resilience in young children

Developing resilience starts within early childhood and is a continual process throughout life. This course focuses on how to nurture emotional development and build resilience in young children. It will explore the factors that are necessary for resilience and will consider ways of supporting children who have gaps in their emotional development. Strategies and ideas to support children will be shared.

Please Contact early years to enquire about training.

Vulnerable under two's - for childminders

• By the end of the session participants will:
• Be aware of the research regarding the vulnerability of two-year-olds
• Understand the roll attachment has in protecting the child and how the nursery can help
• Have an awareness of a range of parental risk factors and its cumulative effect on child development 
• Resilience in children
• Supporting children and families

Please Contact early years to enquire about training.

Educational Psychologist for Early Years 

Educational Psychologists work with pre-school children and their families in their homes or preschool settings. Their role is to help facilitate a shared understanding of the child's strengths and needs, working in partnership with parents/carers and early years settings and identify strategies and arrangements to support the child's development.

Please Contact early years to enquire about training.

Emotional Wellbeing and Effective Learning Team (EWEL) - some charges

The Emotional Wellbeing and Effective Learning Team (EWEL) is a multi-disciplinary group of psychologists, advisory and inclusion teachers, counsellors and inclusion support workers within Durham's Educational Psychology Service. The team work closely with settings on an individual, Communities of Learning and Behaviour Partnership basis to improve the wellbeing, achievement and resilience of vulnerable young people; and to support schools to effectively meet the needs of this group of learners.

Please Contact early years to enquire about training.

My Happy Mind Training (£599)

MyHappymind for Early years is delivered via a learning portal. When you subscribe, you'll get instant access to all of the online resources which include, lesson guides, animated stories, parent packs and lots of activities and resources. You will also be sent a box of goodies with physical story books and other goodies to bring the program to life.

My happy mind: early years course

MindEd Training (free)

Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years has worked with MindEd to identify a series of free e-learning sessions designed specifically to help develop understanding of child mental health and to provide tips and advice on how to support mental health and wellbeing in the early years.

Pacey: MindEd training

County Durham and Darlington Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Training is aimed at any professionals who work with children and young people within County Durham and Darlington. The training sessions that we deliver will enhance your awareness of the chosen topic, and help you explore and identify mental health concerns that may present within children and young people.

Access the training portfolio at County Durham and Darlington Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service training

Resources

• Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
• Enhancing Opportunities for Toddlers’ Wellbeing
• Pacey: Early years emotional health
• Lighting up young brains
• NICE: Early years - promoting health and wellbeing in under 5s
• Young Minds: Supporting infant mental health (babies and under 5s)
• Croner-i: Supporting emotional wellbeing in the early years
• Health24: Tips to ease your children into a sleep routine
• Gov.uk: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework
• Mental health and emotional support for children, young people and families in County Durham (PDF) [177KB]
• Active 30 Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing resources

County Durham Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing locality networks

Locality networks coordinated by Chris Affleck from Investing in Children. For more information contact chris.affleck@investinginchildren.net or telephone 0191 307 7030