Wellbeing underpins every part of a young child’s life, from how they play and make friends to how they learn. This wellbeing in the early years course explains what wellbeing is, what shapes it, how to spot a child whose wellbeing is low and the everyday things practitioners can do to support it.
It also looks beyond the child, at the part families play and how you can support a parent who is struggling without trying to fix everything yourself.
Why wellbeing matters in the early years
Wellbeing starts long before school. It begins before birth and builds through the first relationships a baby forms. Any life situation, from starting nursery to the death of a pet, can affect a child’s mental health, and no two children react in the same way. Their wellbeing can change from hour to hour or across months. Children also carry their worries with them, so something happening at home can affect everything they do in your setting.
The course links wellbeing directly to the EYFS. Personal, social and emotional development is one of the three prime areas, alongside communication and language and physical development, and each connects with a child’s wellbeing. Once children show security and progress in the prime areas, practitioners can usually begin to see progress in the four specific areas too. Supporting wellbeing is part of supporting learning.
What’s in the course
- What wellbeing isThe elements that make up wellbeing and the eight dimensions it can be broken down into.
- Wellbeing and mental healthHow life events affect children differently, and why self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience matter.
- What influences wellbeingWhy wellbeing begins before birth, and what Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs show us.
- Attachment in the first yearHow responsive care builds a secure attachment, what can get in the way, and what poor attachment can look like.
- Supporting familiesListening to parents, knowing your limits and signposting to the right professionals.
- Wellbeing and the EYFSHow the prime and specific areas of learning connect with a child’s wellbeing.
- Recognising low wellbeingThe signs to watch for, and working with parents to find the cause.
- Promoting wellbeingSix areas to support, pointers to help children recognise their own wellbeing, and simple activities that help.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- How wellbeing combines positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment
- How Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs help explain the influences on a child
- How responding to a baby’s cries and sounds builds secure attachment, and how postnatal depression, domestic violence or a parent’s absence through illness can get in the way
- The signs of low wellbeing, such as a neutral expression, a tense body, flitting between activities, watching without joining in, falling asleep a lot, or showing no comfort, pleasure, distress or frustration
- How to build resilience by encouraging children to test and adapt their ideas, persevere with challenges and have confidence in their ideas
- The six areas that promote wellbeing: safe, healthy, nurture, achieve, voice and inclusion
- “I can” pointers that help children name emotions, describe their feelings and know which adults can help
- When to offer a listening ear and when to signpost parents to a health visitor, GP or pharmacist
Who this course is for
- Practitioners and key persons in every room
- Room leaders who want to build wellbeing into daily practice
- Managers and leaders shaping how the setting supports children and families
- New starters and apprentices learning how wellbeing links to the EYFS
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- Interactive moduleShort slides you work through at your own pace.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
Every adult in the setting notices different things about a child, so wellbeing is easiest to support when the whole team knows what to look for. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Emotion Coaching and Supporting Self-Regulation and Attachment Theory and the Key Person Approach.
Frequently asked questions
What are the signs of low wellbeing in a young child?
Signs can include a neutral or blank expression, a tense body, flitting from one activity to another, sitting and watching others without joining in, falling asleep a lot, and showing no comfort, pleasure, distress or frustration. Your observations help you spot these, and the course includes an observation sheet to record them.
How does wellbeing link to the EYFS?
The course connects wellbeing with each of the three prime areas: personal, social and emotional development, communication and language, and physical development. It shows how security in the prime areas supports progress in the specific areas.
What should I do if I think a child’s wellbeing is low?
Watch for changes, try to work out the reason, and talk to the child’s parents or carers about your concerns. Then agree changes in the setting to help improve the child’s wellbeing.
What if a parent is struggling?
Practitioners can listen and offer encouragement, but cannot answer every problem. The course explains when to signpost parents to health visitors, GPs and pharmacists, and a downloadable card helps you find the right words.
Can resilience be taught?
Yes. The course describes resilience as a skill practitioners can teach, by encouraging children to try out their ideas, adapt them when they do not work and keep going when things are difficult.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
