Every Child Matters, 2003).
Emotional intelligence is ‘the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others’ (Goleman, 2012). There are many factors that can affect emotional intelligence and brain development, these can occur whilst the brain is developing in the womb. If a mother is addicted or consumes illicit substances or alcohol whilst pregnant it can interfere with the formation of connections between nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher thinking skills and forming memories (Lewis, 2014). Supporting this Lutz (2017) states ‘the neural connections in an area of the brain associated with the regulation of emotion, attention, and various other cognitive processes are critically impaired’. When a child’s brain development is interrupted by lack of interactions, neglect or substance abuse the synapses do not form. In short childhood abuse, neglect and trauma change the brain structure, impacting on behaviour, emotions and social function (Very well, 2017). This is also known as toxic stress (Centre on the Developing Child, 2017). Toxic stress can evidently lead to various complications, the greater the amount of adverse experiences in a child’s life the likelihood this will affect learning and mental health into adulthood. Jigsaw PSHE (2015) is a whole school approach, essentially allowing the children to express any worries, doubts or difficulties they may have. It allows for difficult subjects to be addressed as a class and allows interdependence. Jigsaw can be compared to circle time (Mosley, 1996), allowing the children participating to discuss essential subjects such as cultural differences, promoting positive behaviour, taking turns and learning that we are all different. Collins and Kavanagh (2013) both depict the need for circle time however, suggest that if a facilitator allows the child to pass and not participate it does not allow for the interactions required to increase self-esteem for example self-worth and mental agility.
Similarly, if a child did not see the circle as a safe place it would erode the child’s confidence to participate. More importantly, circle time supports the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1990a) article 12:
‘the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child’.
Allowing the child to have full consideration of their views expressed.
When a child feels stress for many reasons such as divorce/separation, poverty, poor housing or lack of food high levels of cortisol are released from the brain. This impedes development of connections in the brain (Brain Facts, 2013). If a child has high levels of cortisol it can affect the application of skills in many ways and
