Behaviour
Behaviour support and guidance in the Early Years
Supporting children’s behaviour in the Early Years is essential to creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment where all children can learn, develop and thrive. Behaviour is understood as communication, and practitioners play a key role in recognising needs, responding consistently and supporting children to develop emotional regulation and positive relationships.
This guidance aligns with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and wider Department for Education (DfE) expectations for promoting positive behaviour, inclusion, and safeguarding.
Key messages
Effective behaviour support in early years settings should:
- create a safe, calm and predictable environment
- set clear and consistent expectations
- focus on positive reinforcement and encouragement
- recognise behaviour as communication of need
- support children to develop self-regulation skills
- ensure responses are calm, fair and consistent
- promote inclusion and avoid exclusion or shaming approaches
- consider SEND and additional needs in all behaviour responses
Understanding the behaviour curve
The behaviour curve helps practitioners understand how behaviour escalates and reduces over time. It supports early intervention, calm responses, and appropriate support at each stage.
Stages explained
- calm / ready state – the child is regulated, engaged, and able to follow expectations
- trigger / rising anxiety – early signs of frustration or distress begin to appear
- escalation – behaviour becomes more visible and less regulated
- peak / crisis – the child is highly dysregulated and not able to process reasoning
- de-escalation – emotional intensity begins to reduce
- recovery – the child returns to calm but may need time and support to fully re-engage
Understanding this cycle helps practitioners:
- respond early before escalation increases
- reduce language and demands during crisis points
- use calm, consistent approaches
- support children back to regulation safely
Positive behaviour support approach
A positive behaviour approach focuses on understanding why behaviour happens and supporting children to develop appropriate alternatives over time.
Practitioners should:
- build strong, secure relationships
- identify triggers and underlying needs
- use consistent routines and expectations
- model calm and respectful behaviour
- reinforce positive behaviour through praise
- teach emotional regulation and social skills
- apply consistent whole-setting strategies
Supporting consistency in practice
Settings should ensure:
- clear behaviour policy understood by all staff
- shared language and consistent responses
- regular reflection and team discussion
- named inclusion lead
- access to training and professional development
- support from Early Years Inclusion / SEND teams
Working in partnership with families
Working closely with parents and carers ensures a consistent approach between home and setting. Sharing strategies and progress supports children to feel secure and helps reinforce positive behaviour.
Planning and individual support
Where needed, strategies should be recorded in:
- individual support plans
- individual provision maps
These should be regularly reviewed with families and staff to ensure they remain effective and responsive.
Positive behaviour is best supported through strong relationships, consistent expectations and an understanding of emotional development over time. The behaviour curve helps practitioners respond appropriately at each stage, supporting children to return to calm and build lifelong self-regulation skills.
Social, emotional and mental health