The Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme

Children aged 3-5 develop their own positive strategies to deal with problems through engaging activities: listening to stories, discussion, games, role-play and drawing changed to Children aged 3-5 are supported to develop their self regulation and social development skills through stories and play based activities.

The programme is developed using the latest research into effective early years teaching and learning, ensuring that children are supported effectively to develop their own personal, social and emotional skills. The following key aspects are included in the programme:

• Managing feelings and behaviour
• Emotional self-regulation
• Making relationships
• Self-confidence and self-awareness

There is guidance and additional ideas to ensure that the most vulnerable children are supported effectively through the programme, plus a selection of play based ideas which can be shared with parents and carers.

Early years practitioners will gain the knowledge, confidence, skills and re-sources to support the personal, social and emotional development of the children in their care through a manualised play-based programme grounded in early years pedagogy and evidence. There will be a focus on ‘ambition for all’, including how to narrow the attainment gap for the most vulnerable children of 3-5 year olds in early years settings.

The Early Years PSED programme was initially developed in 2023 and tested for feasibility with 12 early years settings in Sunderland. Thanks to generous funding from Kavli Trust, we are thrilled to be able to offer a further 20 early years practitioners fully funded training and resources.

We are recruiting

We are recruiting settings in these areas to be part of cohort two to pilot the programme (September 2025 - July 2026):

• Greater Manchester
• Liverpool/Merseyside
• North East England
• Lincolnshire

Please get in touch with Jayne.carter@partnershipforchildren.org.uk if you would like to take part in the funded programme (deadline: 31st May 2025).

Programme Development Lead at Partnership for Children, Jayne Carter, speaks to Kirstyn Moffat, Headteacher at Gipsey Bridge Academy, Lincolnshire about the difference the Early Years Skills for Life PSED programme has made to her children and families.

You might also be interested in:

• There is also the option of commissioning this programme directly. Engaging with the commissioned model ensures that a bespoke package of support can be developed, with individual priorities and activities agreed. We are thrilled that Hartlepool Early Years Team have recently completed training in preparation for delivery of the programme.
• We have developed a selection of play-based activities to promote young children's social and emotional development for parents, carers and family members of children aged 3-5 years. The activities support with children's transition to nursery/childcare or starting school and are FREE to download.
• Our Co-CEO, Hannah Baker, in partnership with Anna Freud, has developed a guide of how to effectively support young children’s self-regulation skills - read more and access the resource.
• Download the Starting Reception guide with suggested skills and activities which parents could be practising with their children in preparation for starting school in Reception year. According to teachers, only 1 in 3 children were actually ready and 1 in 5 parents hadn’t heard about school readiness at all.