1.2. Explain the importance of positive relationships for development and well-being

This guide will help you answer 1.2. Explain the importance of positive relationships for development and well-being.

Positive relationships play a fundamental role in the growth, emotional health, and overall development of children and young people. These relationships, which can include bonds with parents, carers, peers, teachers, and other significant individuals, provide a foundation for healthy development and lifelong well-being. In this guide, we will take a look at why these connections matter so much.

Foundations for Emotional Security

A secure and stable relationship gives children and young people emotional safety. When they know they are loved, supported, and valued, they feel safe and confident to explore their environment.

Such security creates the following outcomes:

• Trust: Having consistent and loving adults ensures children can trust others to meet their needs. This trust becomes a baseline for building other relationships.
• Attachment: The bonds they form with caregivers—known as attachments—help them learn to manage their emotions and deal with challenges. Positive attachments reduce the risk of anxiety or behaviours that stem from insecurity.

For example, a baby forming a strong bond with their parent or carer often feels more settled when starting nursery. Knowing their emotional needs are met at home prepares them to take small steps towards independence in other settings.

Promoting Healthy Social Development

Relationships shape early experiences of socialising. Positive relationships show children and young people how to behave, communicate, and form new connections throughout life.

Key social skills taught by positive relationships include:

• Sharing, taking turns, and cooperating when engaged in group activities.
• Resolving conflicts peacefully by observing respectful interactions between adults.
• Building empathy through compassion shown to them by role models.

Social skills learned early will help children interact in school, in community settings, and later in the workplace. Without these early foundations, some may struggle with making friends or maintaining meaningful social ties as they grow older.

Building Self-Esteem and Confidence

Children and young people thrive when they feel valued and respected. Positive relationships provide encouragement, validation, and praise, which boost self-esteem.

They learn that their feelings and opinions matter when parents or carers listen actively. This validation helps them believe in themselves and their abilities. Over time, it builds resilience, the capacity to bounce back from setbacks.

For example:

• A teacher who praises a student for their effort—even when their work isn’t perfect—teaches the child that effort is more important than immediate success.
• A carer who celebrates small achievements can encourage a young person to set bigger, reachable goals.

Good self-esteem allows children and young people to see themselves positively, making it easier to try new things, take risks in learning, and cope with challenges.

Encouraging Cognitive Development

Relationships offer more than emotional and social support; they actively help children’s brains grow. When adults or peers engage with a child through conversation, storytelling, or play, they stimulate brain development.

From birth onwards, every interaction counts:

• Talking to babies while making eye contact sparks neural connections, helping with language acquisition.
• Asking questions and showing curiosity teaches problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Joint activities, like reading together, encourage literacy skills and build concentration.

Positive relationships with early years practitioners, teachers, or even older siblings introduce concepts that expand a child’s understanding of the world, setting them up well for academic success.

A Buffer Against Stress and Hardship

Life isn’t always smooth, and children and young people will face difficult moments, such as bullying, family illness, or even parental separation. Positive relationships provide stability during these times, acting as a safety net.

Examples of how relationships help include:

• A supportive adult talking to a young person about their worries can lower the emotional toll of stressful situations.
• Having trusted friends helps children feel less alone when navigating conflicts outside the home.

Strong, attachment-focused relationships in early life help children develop coping mechanisms they can rely on later. These include emotional regulation—learning how to manage feelings of frustration, sadness, and anger.

Setting Boundaries for Positive Behaviour

Children feel safer when boundaries are defined. Positive relationships provide gentle guidance that helps them understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

For example:

• A parent calmly explaining why hitting isn’t allowed teaches empathy and self-control better than shouting or punishment.
• A teacher enforcing rules fairly helps a child feel equality is valued.

Such consistent messaging helps young people learn to self-regulate and understand consequences, which are vital life lessons for adulthood.

Improved Physical Well-Being

The links between positive relationships and physical health might not seem obvious, but they are surprisingly strong.

In safe and nurturing relationships, children and young people are more likely to:

• Receive appropriate care, such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, and good hygiene habits.
• Experience consistent routines for sleep and mealtimes, which support their overall physical health.
• Feel motivated to look after their own bodies as they grow, building lifelong habits.

Negative or neglectful relationships, by contrast, may lead to poor lifestyle choices or neglect of basic health needs.

Preparing for Future Relationships

Positive early experiences of relationships create a pattern. They act as a blueprint for how children and young people will relate to others in adulthood.

A child treated with patience and kindness is more likely to replicate these behaviours when forming their own friendships, romantic attachments, or professional networks. These patterns can shape their sense of happiness and satisfaction in life.

An adult with unresolved issues from unhealthy early relationships may find it harder to trust people or maintain stable partnerships. This reveals how critical those early foundations are.

Recognising and Addressing Challenges

Not every relationship a child experiences will automatically be positive. Professionals working with children and young people should observe interactions and identify concerns.

Signs of problematic relationships might include:

• A young person withdrawing emotionally or behaving aggressively.
• Poor performance in school or disinterest in social settings.
• Undermined confidence from constant criticism.

By identifying and intervening in such cases, professionals can introduce supportive adults or services to meet the child’s emotional needs.

How Practitioners Contribute to Positive Relationships

Those working in childcare, education, or youth work play an essential role in promoting healthy relationships. They can help children and young people see what a supportive adult connection looks like, even if such support is missing at home.

Ways practitioners reinforce positive relationships include:

• Offering consistent care, showing young people they can rely on adults.
• Modelling respectful and non-judgemental communication.
• Encouraging positive peer interaction during group activities.

The relationships practitioners form may seem small in the day-to-day, but their impact can last a lifetime.

Final Thoughts

Relationships influence every aspect of a child or young person’s development, from their emotional well-being to their ability to form healthy habits. Support, trust, and love from the people around them give children the confidence to explore the world and grow into independent, resilient adults.

As professionals, understanding the deep impact of these connections helps us fulfil a vital responsibility: creating safe spaces where children can thrive, both emotionally and physically. Through every interaction—large or small—we have the opportunity to strengthen those foundational relationships, ensuring that all children and young people have what they need to thrive.