Unit 1.4 Promote children’s emotional well-being

Starter Activity

Time: 15 mins• In pairs, discuss what you think you would need in order to

survive.• Can you put this under five headings?• Then list what you think a baby or a small child would need to

survive.• Are the lists similar or different?

Learning outcomes

• Identify Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs• Explain theoretical perspectives on emotional well-being• Research a theorist making links to their theory in practice • Explain the process of bonding, attachment, developing secure

relationships• Evaluate the impact of secure relationships on a child’s emotional

well-being

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Using your laminated cards put these hierarchy needs in order

Love and belongingness needs Biological and

Physiological

Safety needs

Esteem needs Self-Actualization needs

Cognitive needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Cognitive needs

How do the lists that you made in the Starter activity fit into this hierarchy?

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1

Esteem needs

Self- actualisation

Love and belonging

Safety needs

Physiological needs

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1

• Children’s emotional development and well-being are closely linked to both social and behavioural development.

• If a child is emotionally stable and secure, they are more likely to develop socially – which in turn will have a positive impact on the emotional and the behavioural development.

• How safe and secure a child feels impacts on all areas of development, but particularly on their emotional well-being. Maslow recognised the importance of this when creating his hierarchy of needs.

• Emotional and social development strengthen a child’s happiness and well-being. The first relationships that they form will have an impact on the rest of their lives.

Introduction

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1

Attachment theorists• John Bowlby recognised the importance of the child’s first relationships and developed the

theory of attachment. He identified four characteristics of attachment: proximity maintenance, safe haven, secure base and separation distress. http://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html

• Mary Ainsworth developed Bowlby’s theories further. She focused on the distress of the child and developed the strange situation procedure to identify a child’s reactions to a parent after being left with a stranger. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU

• Harry Harlow experimented with monkeys and stated that they must form their attachments during the first year of life.

• http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Harry+Harlow&FORM=R5FD15#view=detail&mid=3CFEDB5BBA958DA2AD8A3CFEDB5BBA958DA2AD8A

• James Robertson studied the psychological effects on children who were separated from their mothers, for example, through hospital stays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s14Q-_Bxc_U

Theoretical perspectives on emotional well-being

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1

Time: 15 mins

You will be given a theorist to research Prepare a PowerPoint presentation or a poster to explain their theory and its relevance to the emotional well-being of children.• How has it impacted on practice in settings?• Consider any criticisms of the theory.• Give your presentation to the rest of the class.

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1, 1.3

Time: 15 mins• You researched a theorist on attachment and learnt about

others by sharing your presentations with the rest of the class.• Discuss each of the theories and critically review them.• What are their strengths and weaknesses in relation to

childcare?

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.2

• Bonding with a baby is vitally important, as we have already recognised. It meets the physiological and safety needs on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. A bond can be created through the day-to-day routines such as bathing, feeding etc.

• The senses are important in developing a relationship with a baby through touch, eye contact and use of voice.

• A secure relationship is developed through more emotional connections. This can still be through the regular routines involved in bonding, but the tie is built through non-verbal cues. The quality of these cues will determine the quality of the secure relationship.

Bonding, attachment and developing secure relationships

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1, 1.3

Time: 15 mins• In groups, discuss each of the four theorists (Bowlby, Ainsworth,

Harlow or Robertson) and relate their theories to practice in your setting.

• Identify examples that you have observed in your settings. Do they illustrate the importance of bonding and secure relationships?

• Referring to the worksheet provided, discuss the scenarios and relate them to Bowlby’s four characteristics of attachment.

• Critically review each scenario and suggest how you might provide support for children’s emotional well-being in settings.

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.1, 1.3

Time: 15 minsBowlby• What are the four characteristics of Bowlby’s attachment theory?• Explain what they mean and consider examples of these characteristics from placement.Ainsworth• There are eight parts to Ainsworth’s ‘strange situation’ – what are they?• Consider what Ainsworth’s theory tells us about the importance of the secure relationship

on a child’s emotional well-being.Harlow• What can we learn from Harlow’s experiments with monkeys about the importance of the

secure relationship?Robertson• What impact has James and Joyce’s research had on practice, especially hospital practice?

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.3

• There are a number of cases of ‘feral’ children. These are children who have not had the opportunity to form attachments and not developed the accepted social skills.

• The impact of secure relationships on a child’s emotional well-being can be evaluated by studying cases where children have lacked those initial early attachments.

• First relationships usually last for life and form the basis for their later life. Early attachments provide security and stability, which provide the child with the confidence to develop and explore the world.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEnkY2iaKis

The impact of secure relationships on a child’s emotional well-being

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.2, 1.3

Time: 15 mins• Research the case of Genie, the ‘wild child’, in preparation for

the next lesson.• Make notes on how this case relates to the process of

bonding and attachment and the child’s well-being. • What can be learnt from this case about the importance of

developing secure relationships?

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being 1.2, 1.3

Time: 15 minsChoose one of the following aspects and list activities that you, as a practitioner, could provide to encourage the development of this aspect within the child:• Dispositions and attitudes• Self-confidence and self-esteem• Making relationships • Behaviour and self-control• Self-care• Sense of community.

Consider how these aspects support a child’s well-being.

Learning outcomes

LO1. Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being• Explain theoretical perspectives on emotional well-being• Explain the process of bonding, attachment, developing secure

relationships• Evaluate the impact of secure relationships on a child’s emotional

well-being

Summary: plenary activities1. Consider the importance of bonding and forming attachments for the

child’s development. Can you think of any negative issues?2. At your setting find out what you can about the role of the ‘key person’

in preparation for the next session.3. Interview a key person and ask what their roles and responsibilities are.4. Prepare some notes on the role of the key person for the next session.