Curriculum
Promoting First Relationships: A program for service providers to help parents and other caregivers nurture young children’s social and emotional development.
By Jean F. Kelly, PhD, Tracy G. Zuckerman, PsyD, Diana Sandoval, MS, Kim Buehlman, MA, and Jennifer Rees, MSW of the Department of Family and Child Nursing at the University of Washington, Seattle.
The Promoting First Relationships Curriculum covers issues critical to supporting and guiding caregivers in building nurturing and responsive relationships with children, including:
- Theoretical foundations of social and emotional development in early childhood (birth to 5 years)
- Consultation strategies for working with parents and other caregivers
- Elements of a healthy relationship
- Promoting the development of trust and security in infancy
- Promoting healthy development of self during toddlerhood
- Understanding and intervening with children’s challenging behaviors
- Developing intervention plans for children and caregivers
- Individualizing Promoting First Relationships for your setting
Curriculum Materials
Program materials include a 198 page book based on the concepts of attachment theory with 21 reproducible color handouts to be used with parents and childcare providers. Handouts come in 40+ languages. Fourth Edition, 2025.
Social-Emotional Cards
A set of illustrated cards with examples of how caregivers can meet, in everyday interactions, the ten social-emotional needs of infants and toddlers. Also available in SPANISH.
Social and Emotional Needs poster
This poster shows the social and emotional needs of children. Use in waiting areas, consultation rooms, public spaces serving families with young children. Poster comes in either 18″ x 24″ or 24″ x 36″.
Playtime With Your Child poster
This poster shows how parents can connect and deepen their relationship with their child through the delight and joy of playful interactions. Use in waiting areas, consultation rooms, public spaces serving families with young children. Poster comes in either 18″ x 24″ or 24″ x 36″.
Staying Connected in Difficult Moments poster
This poster shows ways that parents can stay connected to their child during challenging times. Use in waiting areas, consultation rooms, public spaces serving families with young children. Poster comes in either 18″ x 24″ or 24″ x 36″.
Promoting First Relationships in Pediatrics E-Learning Course
This e-learning course is designed to help providers and members of the multidisciplinary care team learn how to nurture and support the parent-child relationship during everyday clinic interactions with families and children.
This course includes 30 videos of parent-child interactions to help participants see and feel the elements of responsive caregiving. Parent Handouts, Provider Tip Sheets and PFR Connecting Strategy Sheets for Well Care Visits through age 2 are included.
Promoting First Relationships in Pediatrics
Promoting First Relationships in Pediatrics helps providers support stable and secure early parent-child relationships. The curriculum includes a 112 page manual and a USB flash drive with 15 reproducible parent handouts for well-child visits across the first 3 years.
