Social and Emotional Skills: An Operational Framework for Experts and Trainers in Social and Emotional Skills. Volume II

This operational framework is one of the key reference and expert documents produced by Santé publique France to support the multisectoral strategy for the promotion of psychosocial skills (PSS). This strategy, formalized by Interministerial Directive 2022-2037 published on August 19, 2022, aims to “enable all children to develop their psychosocial skills from a very young age, throughout their growth, and in all settings,” so that “the 2037 generation will be the first to grow up in an environment that continuously supports the development of PS .” This document follows the “Framework for Implementation Among Children and Youth: Synthesis of the State of Scientific and Theoretical Knowledge Conducted in 2021” (Santé publique France, 2022) as well as Volume I of the Operational Framework (Santé publique France, 2025). These expert publications aim to build a shared culture around psychosocial competencies, drawing on up-to-date scientific knowledge as well as French expertise and experience. They also aim to promote the implementation of high-quality interventions and practices across all sectors involving children and youth.The framework aims to promote understanding of the psychological mechanisms underpinning each psychosocial skill. It offers a clear and accessible synthesis of the main current consensus-based knowledge, despite the diversity of existing theoretical models across disciplines and schools of thought. Based on scientific and experiential knowledge, it is intended for experienced practitioners (PSC trainers, PSC experts, PSC program managers, etc.) and aims to support their fieldwork by providing actionable knowledge, through a knowledge transfer approach. To facilitate learning about the key psychological mechanisms underlying psychosocial competencies, these mechanisms are presented in the form of a list that pairs each psychosocial competency with the specific knowledge and skills associated with it. Mastering these represents a major challenge for strengthening one’s own psychosocial competencies and developing those of others. This conceptual and operational understanding of each psychosocial competency should promote their integration into everyday practices and the implementation of high-quality formal and informal psychoeducational activities for children, youth, and/or parents.Developed by Santé publique France in collaboration with specialists (researchers and/or practitioners), this two-volume framework addresses each of the twenty specific psychosocial competencies in the updated classification published by the agency in 2022 (a classification that was slightly adjusted in form and content in 2025). The analysis and understanding of how each of the psychosocial competencies functions, carried out as part of this work, revealed a progressive nature to their learning.The framework is organized around this progression. Thus, in addition to being classified into three categories (cognitive, emotional, and social) according to the World Health Organization’s typology, the psychosocial competencies have also been grouped into two major phases, each covered in a separate volume.Phase 1 (Volume I) covers the first psychosocial competencies in each category (Cognitive PSK 1, Emotional PSK 1, Social PSK 1). These initial competencies can be considered foundational PSKs aimed at strengthening understanding and acceptance of cognitive, emotional, and relational mechanisms.Phase 2, covered in this second volume, corresponds to the second psychosocial competencies in each category (Cognitive PSK 2, Emotional PSK 2, Social PSK 2). These competencies help improve self-regulation and self-actualization.Following on from Volume I, this second volume is structured in the same format: it presents the second general psychosocial competencies: strengthening self-control and self-fulfillment (2nd general cognitive PSK), regulating emotions and stress (2nd general emotional PSK), and resolving relational difficulties (2nd general social PSK). It brings together 9 specific competencies (4 cognitive, 3 emotional, 2 social) and 29 areas of knowledge and skills. This volume thus completes the detailed presentation of each of the 6 general psychosocial competencies, 20 specific psychosocial competencies, and 55 areas of knowledge and skills in the psychosocial competency classification updated by Santé publique France (2022, 2026). This document serves as an operational reference framework intended to enable the various sectors involved to develop intervention guidelines and practical resources with content that is evidence-based and tailored to their target audiences and settings. It contributes to knowledge sharing and the development of a shared vision of psychosocial competencies. It provides a conceptual and operational foundation for developing high-quality interventions across the entire country in this field.

Author(s): Lamboy Béatrice, Jeannel Dominique, Mouraire Emma, Gauchet Aurélie, Simar Carine, Shankland Rebecca

Publishing year: 2026

Pages: 224 p.

Collection: Methods

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