Abstract :
This study investigates parents’ perspectives on the role of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in fostering children’s social and emotional development in District Gilgit. Using a quantitative descriptive research design, data were collected from 60 parents of children aged 3–6 years enrolled in public and private ECE centers through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. Findings reveal that parents place high importance on social and emotional learning (SEL) alongside academic achievement. They strongly agreed that teachers play a key role in guiding emotional understanding (M = 4.43, SD = 0.73) and that ECE environments enhance empathy, cooperation, respect for diversity, and confidence. Parents valued nurturing, inclusive classrooms and teacher responsiveness but expressed moderate concern about limited opportunities for resilience-building (M = 3.68). Overall, the study concludes that parents view ECE as a crucial foundation for holistic child development, emphasizing the need for structured SEL programs, emotionally supportive environments, and strengthened home–school collaboration. These insights can guide educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers in designing emotionally enriched early learning frameworks that align with parental expectations.