ABSTRACT

This chapter lays a foundation of psychological understanding of the emotional position of children and young people, especially those who are in difficulties. Through developing insight into emotional development it is hoped that professionals working with children can further their understanding of each individual and empathise with them. Children who are in social difficulty are usually, but not always, children who are the concern of the child welfare or educational systems. A broad classification of the behaviours and emotional expressions of these children to infer what their likely emotional history was and through this process understand them better and make better arrangements for their future social integration. The chapter also presents some case studies which illustrates how the emotional histories can be inferred and used to understand each individual's emotional development. This can provide new understanding and increased empathy for the individual.