Child and Adult Roles

Red level: Basic Needs

Adult’s role – Provide for the child’s basic needs; create a secure environment; keep the child safe; show them that they are special to you.
 
Child’s role – Trust that adults will meet your basic needs; develop a sense of security; feel safe; feel special.
 
 
Orange Level: Developing and Exploring
 
Adult’s role – Offer opportunities for child to explore with you; provide clear, secure boundaries; talk about feelings and explain the world immediately around the child.
 
Child’s role – Engage in new experiences with a key adult; stay safe; share your feelings with your key adult; look and listen; enjoy and explore.
 
 
Yellow Level: Thinking Ahead
 
Adult’s role – Help your child to name different emotions; model how to manage intense emotions; listen to the child; help them make sense of their own world; shield from adult worries; make consequences fair and clear.
 
Child’s role – Learn words to express a range of emotions; share ideas; test boundaries; learn that some actions have positive and negative consequences.
 
 
Green Level: Sense of Self
 
Adult's role  – Point out child’s developing skills and unique identity; help them take responsibility for their actions; enable safe relationships with others; model how to resolve relationship issues by sharing, explaining, or apologising.
 
Child’s role – Feel pride in achievements; take responsibility for what you say or do; experience relationships with others; share relationship issues.
 
 
Blue Level: Social Skills
 
Adult’s role – Model and support the ongoing development of skills; help child to safely explore different options and consequences; model, discuss and explain the need for rules and responsibilities in the wider world.
 
Child’s role - Practise and improve skills; explore different options and consequences; accept the need for rules and responsibilities.
 
 
These skills build on each other, from stage to stage. They can be explored through any shared experiences: visits, stories, films, and day-to-day play or practical activities, at home and in school.