Social and emotional learning

This policy brief focuses on social and emotional learning (SEL) as a key component of children's well-being, resilience, and academic success, helping learners develop skills such as managing emotions, building relationships, and making responsible decisions. It notes that SEL remains unevenly developed across European education systems and is often delivered through fragmented, standalone initiatives, while implementation is hampered by policy instability, limited teacher preparation, and academic-intensive assessment frameworks. The brief calls for a coherent whole-school approach that integrates SEL into everyday teaching, supported by sustained teacher training and strong partnerships with families and communities.