Unit One

Introduction to social competence

Children are inherently social beings, and as educators, councilors or other
childcare professionals we must work to foster their social development.
Social competence The ability to integrate thinking, feeling and behaving
to achieve interpersonal goals and social outcomes that are valued within a
given context and culture.
Behavior associated with social competence include
Social values
Personal identity
Interpersonal skills
Self-regulation
Planning, organizing and decision making
Cultural competence
In helping to build social competence
1. We must recognize the context in which development occurs
2. WE need to understand the impact we have on childrens socialization
3. We need to be acutely aware of the individuality of all children within
the context of developmental norms
Social

development takes place in many places including:

family settings,
communities, and neighbourhoods
child care centres and school environments
broader historical, cultural, and political contexts.

Looking at the total social-contextual environment that children learn and

mature in is important when looking at the social competence. We must look
at the childs
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Exosystem and
Macrosystem
Facilitation Dimension Communicates to children that they are valued.
Demonstrating empathy, warmth, respect, acceptance and authenticity can
do this.
Then we can move into the Action Dimension where maladaptive behaviors
can be changed.
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Learning Goals of Unit One:

Define social competence and describe its importance in childrens

lives.
Describe the varied contexts in which children develop socially.
Explain the role of facilitation in fostering childrens social
development.