Behaviour is high on the political agenda and a key concern for many education professionals. Whilst political debate, press coverage and professional concerns about problem behaviour generally focus on older children, there is also concern about the number of children exhibiting challenging behaviour in the early years. Childrens experiences in the Early Years are crucial in determining their adaptability and coping strategies later on, in helping them develop resilience. Therefore it is paramount that practitioners can support childrens personal, social and emotional and behavioural development in the early years, and make a vital contribution to reducing behavioural difficulties (including internalised difficulties such as depression as well as externalised challenging behaviour). Those working in the early years often want advice on managing challenging behaviour, sometimes seeing such behaviour as being inexplicable, rather than regarding all childrens behaviour, including challenging behaviour, as a response to their circumstances. When the behaviour is extreme, it may be because the childs circumstances/experiences are extreme, and/or the childs ability to make needs clear or interpret other peoples intentions is impaired. Both norms and extremes of behaviour can be understood using a framework that applies knowledge of how behaviour develops to consider a childs needs and what might be appropriate expectations of that child.
