Social-Emotional Learning Interventions in Early Childhood Education

Social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions in the early years seek to foster children’s capacity to recognise and manage emotions, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions and resolve conflicts constructively. In centre-based settings, these interventions may be delivered as discrete curricula, integrated pedagogical practices or activity-based programmes. Central components often include guided discussions about feelings, modelling of empathy and kindness, role-play scenarios and structured opportunities for cooperative play. Evidence indicates that early SEL provision not only enhances immediate outcomes—such as emotional understanding, prosocial behaviour and self-regulation—but also confers longer-term benefits for academic readiness, mental health and social adjustment. Programmes vary in intensity and delivery agents, ranging from specialist-led workshops to teacher-facilitated daily routines. Attention to contextual factors—such as educator training, classroom climate and family engagement—is pivotal to maximise fidelity and sustain gains. Increasingly, interventions are designed to be culturally responsive and inclusive of children with diverse developmental profiles. Global research underscores the scalability of SEL approaches, highlighting their potential to narrow developmental disparities, particularly in under-resourced communities, and to contribute to broader public health and educational objectives.

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Social-Emotional Learning Interventions in Early Childhood Education publication trend

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Technical terms

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): A structured approach to help children develop awareness and management of emotions, empathy, social skills and decision-making abilities.

Prosocial Behaviour: Voluntary actions intended to benefit others, such as sharing, helping and showing compassion.

Self-Regulation: The capacity to control impulses, manage stress and sustain attention in pursuit of goals.

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC): Structured programmes for children typically aged two to six, encompassing nursery, preschool and kindergarten settings.

Curriculum-Based Intervention: A systematic, often manualised, set of lessons or activities designed to teach specific skills within an educational framework.

References

1. Teaching Kindness and Compassion: An Exploratory Intervention Study to Support Young Children’s Prosocial Skills in an Inclusive ECEC Setting. Education Sciences (2023).
2. Social and Emotional Learning Associated With Universal Curriculum-Based Interventions in Early Childhood Education and Care Centers. JAMA Network Open (2018).
3. Fostering socio-emotional learning through early childhood intervention. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy (2021).
4. Supporting Preschoolers’ Mental Health and Academic Learning through the PROMEHS Program: A Training Study. Children (2023).