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 (PSED) 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 manage 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.
Commissioning the Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme
We will develop a bespoke delivery model, tailored to your local priorities and context, that supports both workforce development and positive outcomes for children.
A tailored package can include:
- Training for early years practitioners, based on early years pedagogy, current evidence and good practice
- 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 your setting
- Early years practitioners gain the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to intentionally support personal, social and emotional development through everyday play‑based practice.
Next steps
Visit our website for more information and please contact our Early Years Development Lead, Jayne Carter, to discuss how our Early Years PSED Skills for Life programme could benefit the children in your setting.
Jayne.carter@partnershipforchildren.org.uk
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.
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.
The children are increasingly aware of their emotional needs and know where to go if they feel overwhelmed, angry, or upset.
Early years practitioner
