This lesson provides information and resources that managers may use to support staff members and families in promoting children’s social-emotional development. A key learning point is the impact that social-emotional development has on all other areas of a child’s development and how important it is to children’s future learning and social relationships throughout life. As a leader and manager, your role is critical to fostering a climate that supports social-emotional development of the children and youth served in your program.

This lesson addresses children’s social-emotional development. Each child develops social-emotional competence through warm and nurturing relationships with significant adults. Managers demonstrate understanding of children’s growth and development across all developmental domains. Through hiring warm and nurturing staff members, creating a welcoming environment, and intentionally creating a sense of community among all families, children, and staff, managers ensure a high-quality program where children can optimally develop social-emotional competence.

Managers are leaders who set the overall tone of the program. Creating a relationship-based community within a child care or youth program requires intentional efforts and authentic leadership skills. In this lesson, you will learn the importance of your role in creating an environment that is supportive and staff feel valued and encouraged to grow professionally. You will learn how the environment should be open and friendly to children, youth, and families and how the environment should be supportive to all those who are involved with the program.

Responsive relationships are at the very core of providing high-quality care for children and youth. Managers have the task of promoting responsive caregiving and modeling how to respond positively to young children and youth for staff and families. In this lesson, you will learn about the importance of building relationships and how to create an emotionally warm and welcoming program.

Promotive factors are conditions or attributes of individuals, families, communities or the larger society that actively enhance well-being. By intentionally creating and attending to policies that incorporate promotive experiences, managers demonstrate support for children, families and staff members in building positive relationships with one another. In this lesson you will learn about team building and how you as a leader can intentionally promote positive relationships within the staff you supervise.