Nurturing Children's Emotional Wellbeing in the Early Years

Being mentally healthy in early childhood enables babies and young children to understand and cope with emotions, experience meaningful, nurturing relationships, and explore, play and learn. This book supports early-years practitioners to develop and consider the quality of their interactions and to understand how to meet children's emotional needs effectively. The book considers what every child needs to feel safe, secure and loved. Offering a whole setting approach to emotional health and wellbeing, it outlines essential knowledge on brain development, environments and working with parents. Chapters cover neuroscientific theories on early brain development and practice, and are aligned to typical child development, offering practical evidence-based strategies and activities to secure children's emotional wellbeing both now and as they grow. Including reflective tasks and suggestions for individual and group activities, this is essential reading for early-years practitioners and students. It will also be valuable reading for parents.

Caroline Wright is the director of early childhood for Bright Horizons UK. She was formerly EYFS quality improvement lead in a local authority and Ofsted inspector in schools and nurseries for over 14 years. Michelle Dermitas is the head of pedagogical research & development at Bright Horizons UK, and the strategic and pedagogical lead for Emotional Wellbeing in Young Children across the UK. Bright Horizons Family Solutions has been supporting the evolving needs of working families for more than 35 years, and our strong passion for research-informed pedagogy ensures that children and families remain at the centre of all we do.

Foreword: Dr Aaron Bradbury Introduction Chapter 1: The Foundations of a Nurturing Approach: What Every Child Needs Chapter 2: Safe & Loved: What Happens in the First Six Months? Chapter 3: Curious & Connected: Next Steps from 6 Months (to 18 months) Chapter 4: Thinking & Feeling: The Developing Child from 18 Months (to 3 years) Chapter 5: Sense of Self & Others: Supporting Children from 3 to 5 Years Conclusion Appendix 1: Bright Horizons Nurturing Environments Audit Tool