Supporting Preschoolers Developing Social Emotional Competence in Schools

Preschool-age children are entering schools with increasingly deficient social-emotional regulation skills, particularly post-COVID-19 pandemic. There are expectations for preschoolers to learn how to navigate social norms, trust new settings, learn emotion regulation, and begin academic skills. These skills vary among children as many social and environmental factors impact their development. These may include mental, emotional, and behavioral problems leading to challenges for children later in their development. These challenges impact not only the family but their school experience. Children with social-emotional and behavioral disorders are more likely to struggle socially and academically. Social-emotional well-being is critical to successful social and academic functioning among children. School Social Workers are vital for assessing and supporting children within schools. This chapter illustrates how Social Workers provide interventions to increase social-emotional capacity in preschool children, which positively impacts their learning and overall positive climate within the classroom.