A new framework aimed at improving awareness of and knowledge about social and emotional skills, based in part on UCL research, has been published by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, led by Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Wales.
The social and emotional skills developed during early childhood are critical for laying the foundation of children's development, including how they think, learn and behave. While this is well understood within both expert fields and among the public, the Centre's annual survey reports that less than half of people feel they have a good understanding of how these skills develop - 42% reported having 'little or no understanding'.
The new Shaping Us Framework aims to provide an accessible approach to talking about 30 social and emotional skills underpinning human development, involved in areas such as managing emotions, nurturing relationships and exploring the world around us, and how these look during this early developmental stage.
The framework draws on the expertise of academics, clinicians, and practitioners in human development from across the globe, including Professor Lynn Ang (IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education & Society) and Professor Eamon McCrory (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences), who were both part of the advisory group for the research underpinning the framework's development. The Princess of Wales has twice visited UCL to meet early years researchers.
The framework offers, for the first time, a universal and flexible way to talk about social and emotional skills that cuts across all areas of life and engages a broad audience. It covers early childhood and continues through to adulthood, recognising that our social and emotional skills underpin all areas of human development.
Writing in the foreword to the report, The Princess of Wales said: "To create a physically and mentally healthier society, we must reset, restore, and rebalance.
"That means taking a profound look at ourselves and our own behaviours, emotions, and feelings. It means getting much better at acting with compassion and empathy towards one another… better understanding how we can protect and build upon what connects and unites us… and acknowledging that society is something we build together, through the actions we take every day.
"At the heart of all of this is the need for us to develop and nurture a set of social and emotional skills which we must prioritise if we are to thrive."
To help launch the Shaping Us Framework, Professor Ang contributed a guest essay published alongside it that highlights how culture - defined as the values, norms and practices distinct to a particular society - interacts with these skills.
She commented: "The Shaping Us Framework highlights a poignant message that social and emotional development is fundamental for human development, especially during the early childhood years as young children begin to build relationships and explore the world around them.
"It has been a privilege working with colleagues at the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood over the last 18 months on this important initiative. It is wonderful to see the project finally come to fruition."
Professor McCrory commented: "The development of social and emotional skills starts at a very young age, and how these skills are developed early on can have a deep, lasting impact on a child's future, so it is vital that we find ways to support parents and carers to enable their children to thrive."
Professor Peter Fonagy (UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences) and Professor McCrory are founding members of the Centre's Advisory Group.
Professor Fonagy also contributed a guest essay for the Shaping Us Framework launch, writing: "By nurturing self-awareness, agency, and aspiration in children, we lay the groundwork for their capacity to understand others, build relationships, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. It is through knowing ourselves that we unlock the potential to shape a better future together."
