Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides support to school staff who works specifically with children to enhance their social and emotional coping skills. It looks at some different domains of self-esteem to help practitioners be more targeted in their work. For most children friendships develop naturally. Others need help to learn how mutually supportive relationships are established and maintained. The skills of social interaction do not come naturally to all children. They need to be modelled and sometimes overtly taught in order to help children relate effectively to adults and to the other children around them. Children vary considerably in their ability to recover from adversity. Resilience relies upon a complex interaction of factors including the nature, amount and frequency of the difficult challenges faced, together with the presence of internal and external protective factors.