The Development of Wellbeing: Young Children's Knowledge of their Support Networks and Social Competence

Development of wellbeing may be influenced by children's knowledge of their relationships with significant others. This study investigated five-year-old children's knowledge of their support networks and social competence, and aligned it with observations of their social behaviour in group settings. The study found that socially able children articulated knowledge of their social networks accurately, and they had clear ideas about ways to elicit support and positive interactions. The children knew a great deal about their relationships with others, and it appeared that their knowledge mediated their social behaviour. It is suggested that analysis of the ‘affordance value’ of sociocultural contexts may help teachers understand the opportunities available for children to develop the social knowledge and competence that facilitates relationships.