Building emotional intelligence and resilience in primary school children

Key findings

Increased skills and knowledge in children

Children learnt: 

• to identify their own emotions and how they are felt in the body
• to recognise, empathise and support the emotions of others
• techniques to manage their emotions
• the importance of identifying trusted adults they can seek support from.

Improved teacher-pupil relationships and understanding

Schools developed better relationships with pupils and increased understanding of their lives, helping them to better support their pupils and respond promptly to safeguarding concerns.

Increased confidence and skills in teachers

Teachers felt more confident teaching primary aged children about complex emotions and continued using the programme's tools and resources beyond the timeframe of the programme. 

Increased peer support amongst children

Increased use of the 'chatty bench', where children sit to talk to each other about their emotions, allowed peers to support each other and practice skills learnt through the programme.

Connectivity beyond the school

The programme connected schools to wider support for families through the Together for Childhood initiative.

Recommendations

• Prioritise programmes focusing on emotional resilience and wellbeing in primary schools.
• Adequately resource the roll-out and delivery of programmes to ensure facilitators have the confidence, information and support to deliver it safely and meaningfully.
• Continuous learning and improvement needs to be encouraged by setting aside time to reflect on how the programme is being received by children and families and make necessary adjustments.