The Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme for 3-5 year olds

The Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme is an evidence-informed, manualised, play‑based programme that supports the personal, social and emotional development of children aged 3–5 through stories, structured activities and everyday practice.

The programme uses 15 weeks of stories, structured activities and everyday practice to help children build strong personal, social and emotional foundations during the early years.

Through the programme, children are supported to develop:

• Emotional self-regulation
• The ability to managed their feelings and behaviour
• Positive relationships with others
• Self-confidence and self-awareness

The programme also includes guidance and additional activities to support the most vulnerable children and help narrow the attainment gap. Home-based ideas and play activities can also be shared with parents and carers to reinforce learning beyond the setting.

The Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme was initially developed in 2023 through EEF funding . With support from the Kavli Trust, it has since been adapted and delivered to settings across Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, the North East and Lincolnshire. More information about the 20-week version of the programme currently being piloted through the EEF can be found here.

Early Years 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.

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.

Programme delivery and partnership

The 15 week Early Years PSED programme is available to local authorities, early years teams, multi‑academy trusts and other organisations seeking a structured, high‑quality approach to improving children’s personal, social and emotional development across early years settings.

“I am feeling positive about delivering this programme. It is great to have a sequential programme which is developed just for our youngest children.” - EY practitioner Hartlepool

Commissioning the Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme enables you to develop a bespoke package of support tailored to your local priorities and context. Working in partnership with your organisation, we agree a delivery model that supports both workforce development and positive outcomes for children.

A tailored package can include:

• Training for early years practitioners grounded in early years pedagogy and current evidence
• Structured, manualised resources to support consistent implementation
• Guidance on supporting the most vulnerable children and narrowing the attainment gap
• Support with implementation planning and embedding the programme across settings

Early years practitioners gain the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to intentionally support personal, social and emotional development through everyday play‑based practice.

If you are interested in adopting or delivering the Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme, please get in touch to explore how we can work in partnership to support our youngest children. We can provide further information and a tailored quote based on your requirements.

• See samples of the Early Years PSED programme

You might also be interested in:

• 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.
• The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) recently published a review highlighting six key insights into early years professional development. These findings reinforce the importance of structured, evidence-informed programme in equipping educators with the tools to foster emotional resilience and well-being in young learners.