This book equips early childhood educators and service providers with tools to support emerging social-emotional development and positive behavior in the first five years of life. It begins by providing an overview of social-emotional development, including how this development is intertwined with other areas of growth, environmental influences, and short- and long-term child outcomes. The educator's influential role is discussed within the context of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework and the Pyramid Model. Guiding principles and specific, research-based strategies for supporting children's success are presented, with numerous specific examples of how to foster healthy social-emotional development and adaptive behavior in center- and home-based settings.

The final chapters discuss how teachers and service providers can overcome potential roadblocks to implementing PBIS, build and maintain positive relationships with families, and ensure good communication, consistency, and shared accountability across support networks. Included are numerous examples and vignettes, textboxes on collaborating with families, quotes from parents and educators, and supplemental exercises.

These elements, along with the author's direct, user-friendly approach, make this content highly accessible for early childhood personnel seeking practical, engaging ways to support early social-emotional growth.

Foreword by: Susanne Denham