At Young Somerset, we understand that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial for their emotional development and future well-being. That’s why we offer dedicated Early Years support to help families build strong, positive relationships and lay the foundations for healthy emotional growth.
Our Early Years offer is designed for parents and carers of children aged 0–5 and focuses on emotional well-being, early development, and strengthening family relationships.
We run Pop-Up Tots sessions in community settings across Somerset—these are welcoming, fun, and interactive drop-in play sessions where families can access informal support, connect with others, and get expert advice on topics such as child development, emotional regulation, routines, and positive parenting strategies. These sessions often include input from health visitors, family support teams, and other professionals.
In addition, our specially trained 0–5 Pathway Practitioners (PPs) work directly with parents and carers who need more targeted support. They offer high-intensity parenting interventions, grounded in evidence-based approaches such as Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) and Incredible Years (IY). These interventions help families navigate challenges related to regulation (such as tantrums or sleep difficulties), relationships (bonding and attachment), and behaviour (setting boundaries and managing difficult emotions).
Our Early Years team is also actively involved in delivering transition programmes for children moving into pre-school and primary school settings, helping to ease worries, build confidence, and promote positive starts in education.
By providing early help in a child’s life, we aim to prevent future difficulties and ensure every child has the best possible start. Our goal is to support parents to feel confident, connected, and well-equipped to nurture their child’s emotional wellbeing.