Psychosocial Skills: Essential Skills for Growth and Well-Being

Social-emotional skills (SES) enable everyone to respond effectively to the demands and challenges of daily life while maintaining mental well-being. They can be learned and developed starting in early childhood.
In children and adolescents, they promote well-being, positive relationships with others, and the ability to cope with difficulties or pressures. As such, they are a key tool for preventive health care.
Developing these skills provides young people with the resources to better understand themselves, find their place in the community, and make choices that support their health and well-being.

A challenge that depends on everyone’s involvement

The development of psychosocial skills requires a supportive environment and coordinated efforts
across various settings: at home, at school, in recreational facilities, in community organizations, and in support and care settings.

Parents, education and health professionals, organizations, local communities, and institutions all have complementary roles to play.

This collective effort makes it possible to:

• Promote continuity in learning,
• Strengthen professional practices
• Offer children and youth interventions tailored to their needs.

The goal is to develop a shared culture around CPS and to promote the implementation of high-quality initiatives based on knowledge and best

A National Strategy Implemented in Réunion

This initiative is part of the 2022–2037 interministerial strategy, which aims to “ensure that the 2037 generation is the first to grow up in an environment that continuously supports the development of psychosocial skills.”

In Réunion, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and the Regional Education Office are jointly leading this initiative, in collaboration with government agencies, local authorities, professionals, and nonprofit organizations. The goal is to develop structured interventions tailored to local realities and grounded in scientific data provided by Santé publique France.

Several programs are already being implemented across the island, particularly in schools and with families: Unplugged, Primavera, Good Behaviour Game, PRODAS, and Zarboutan. Depending on the target audience and objectives, these programs aim to strengthen interpersonal skills, promote well-being, and prevent risky behaviors.

• To learn more about the programs

Training, supporting, and rolling out more initiatives

To build on this momentum, several strategies are being implemented:

• Training professionals in the development of social and emotional skills (CPS), particularly those who work with children, youth, and families in the health, social, medical-social, and socio-educational sectors;
• Developing a regional community of certified trainers responsible for disseminating knowledge
  and promoting the sharing of experiences and best practices;
• Support new initiatives in school and after-school settings, particularly by issuing
  a call for expressions of interest to nonprofit organizations;
• Encourage youth engagement through peer education initiatives, such as training student health ambassadors.

The regional strategy aims, in particular, to significantly increase the number of children and youth benefiting from HPA development programs, in line with the national goals set for 2037.

A Seminar to Build a Shared Culture

Held on November 3, 2026, the regional seminar brought together institutional representatives, professionals, and nonprofit stakeholders to discuss the challenges and approaches to developing CPS.

The participation of experts from Santé publique France helped share scientific knowledge, present national guidelines, and shed light on the conditions for implementing effective, high-quality interventions.

This event helped strengthen a shared understanding of psychosocial skills, foster cooperation, and encourage their sustainable integration into professional practices and public policies.

• To learn more about psychosocial skills | ARS La Réunion