First 2000 Days: Healthy Relationships with Children

Why is it important?
• Healthy relationships are key to child health and wellbeing now and in the future.
• Children will feel safe and secure when their parents and carers provide consistent and sensitive care.
• Children who feel safe and secure will:
         – Be confident to play and socialise.
         – Manage big emotions.
         – Build stronger relationships.

What to do?
• Build communication skills by talking, yarning, singing, reading and playing together.
         – Talk about the things that interest them. “That’s a friendly dinosaur, do you know its name?”
• Help your child to understand their feelings.
         – When a child shows a particular emotion, label it for them and talk about it. “I can see you are feeling sad, let’s have a talk about it”.
• Watch and respond to what children say, do and see.
• Provide comfort - cuddle and hold them so they feel cared for and secure.