A free, community-based workshop, aimed at strengthening child mental health support in early learning spaces, took place in Houghton on January 30, led by Norleen Zulu, CEO and founder of EduEmporium.

Hosted under the banner: ECD Masterclass: Integrating child mental health at the core, the initiative brought together 25 early childhood development (ECD) centre owners and principals for a hands-on learning experience focused on social emotional learning (SEL) and early mental health awareness. The workshop was designed to equip decision-makers with practical tools to better understand children’s emotional needs and respond with intention and care.

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Zulu said the inspiration for the masterclass stemmed from a growing concern that many young children are carrying emotional burdens that often go unnoticed.

“ECD centres are usually the first place where these struggles surface. This was about creating a safe, empowering space, where leaders can respond to children’s mental health with purpose, not pressure.”

Providing the workshop free of charge was intentional. Zulu stressed that mental health support must never be exclusive or inaccessible, particularly for under-resourced centers that lack training and professional backing.

A key focus of the session was shifting the role of child mental health from an add-on classroom programme to a leadership-driven framework. By training principals and centre owners, EduEmporium aims to embed emotional wellbeing into school policies, culture, and daily practice, ensuring sustainable, long-term impact.

Participants explored practical SEL strategies, including understanding behaviour as communication, trauma-informed responses, emotional check-ins, predictable routines, and creating safe regulation spaces. The masterclass also encouraged leaders to view their centres as emotionally responsive environments that nurture the whole child, not just academic outcomes.

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Zulu noted that the engagement from attendees was particularly powerful.

“There was openness, honesty, and a shared sense of purpose. These are leaders who care deeply for the children in their care and are eager to do better, even when resources are limited.”

Looking ahead, EduEmporium hopes the masterclass will spark a wider movement across the ECD sector.

“If leadership shifts, everything else follows. Healthier children, supported educators, and stronger communities begin with early emotional care.”

EduEmporium will sharpen its advocacy through advanced leadership training and strategic partnerships, driving the bold, shared vision of making child mental health an integral, universal standard in early childhood education across communities.

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