Did you know, how children learn to express emotions, handle stress and build relationships in their early years can shape their entire future?
Research shows that strong social and emotional development in the early years leads to:
• Healthier brain development
• Better success in school
• Stronger community involvement
• Greater success in future employment
When we nurture these skills in young children, we’re not just helping them, we’re building kinder, healthier and more resilient communities.
In recent years, more kindergarten children in British Columbia are showing signs of vulnerability in their social and emotional development. According to the Healthy Early Learning Partnership at UBC, nearly one-third of kindergarten children were found to be vulnerable or at risk in emotional maturity and social competence between 2019 and 2022.
In a 2022 survey conducted by Child Health BC, 100% of parents and caregivers agreed that social-emotional development is important for children aged 0-6. Data also shows that parents and caregivers struggle to find trusted, accessible information to support their children’s social-emotional development.
Bridging the information gap with Feelings First
To help bridge this gap, Child Health BC launched the Feelings First campaign in 2021, as BC was entering its COVID-19 “restart plan” and some young children were socializing with people outside of their household for the very first time. The first phase of the Feelings First campaign aimed to deliver expert-backed social and emotional development information to parents and caregivers in an attention-grabbing and digestible format.
This first phase was a great success; parents and caregivers from across the province expressed the need for more of this important and informative content. Child Health BC and the team behind Feelings First have launched a second phase of the campaign that features the new Feelings First e-learning journey: an accessible, online learning tool for parents and caregivers of young children.
The chapters of this interactive e-learning journey explore four key areas:
• The inner world of the parent
• The caregiver-child relationship
• The inner world of the child
• The child in the world
Each chapter includes real reflections from parents and caregivers, alongside insights from child health experts. The content is grounded in proven child development practices used by physicians, educators and health professionals worldwide.
Start your journey today
Every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, seen and supported. By joining the Feelings First e-learning journey, parents and caregivers are taking a powerful step toward building a brighter future for their child and their community.
Sign up today and help us build a more compassionate BC, one child at a time.