1.4

1. Unit 1.4 Promote children’s
emotional well-being

2. Learning outcomes
• Identify the needs of children in own setting in relation to
emotional well-being
• Work with children in a way that:
• supports independence
• builds resilience and perseverance
• builds confidence
• supports self-reliance
• equips children to protect themselves
• builds relationships between children

3. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting 4.1
Time: 15 mins
Refer back to your notes from Lessons 1 and 2 on attachment
theorists and theorists on social development.
Make brief notes on the relevance of:
• Bowlby, Ainsworth and Robertson
• Bandura, Vygotsky and Erikson.
Discuss how their theories will help you to identify the needs
of children.

4. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting 4.1
• In order to identify children’s needs in relation to emotional
well-being, it is important to be aware of their social and
emotional development.
• Babies tend to develop their emotional qualities through their
primary carers. They will develop a sense of security if
surrounded by a warm and caring environment. This will
provide a sound base for the development of their other
emotions.
• Babies form attachments with their primary carers and can
become distressed if they are placed with other people.
Identify the needs of children in own setting in relation to
emotional well-being

5. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting 4.1
• Toddlers are beginning to develop independence and form
new relationships, which can be problematical. They have to
learn to share, to listen to others and to take turns. They need
to learn to work problems out for themselves.
• Learning to make friends and being a good friend is an
important part of a child’s emotional development.
• The practitioner needs to be aware of the child’s stage of
development, so a knowledge of the developmental
milestones is important.
Identify the needs of children in own setting in relation to
emotional well-being (cont’d)

6. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting 4.1
Practitioners should constantly liaise with parents to develop their
knowledge of the child. This knowledge is vital to their ability to
identify specific emotional needs in a child.
They should be able to identify such needs as:
• When a child is becoming frustrated and why (may be lack of
physical ability or language skills)
• When a child is upset and why (an argument with their best friend,
the death of their pet hamster etc.)
• Discomfort – a toileting accident, feeling ill.
• Sadness – not being chosen to play a game etc.
Identify the needs of children in own setting in relation to
emotional well-being

7. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting 4.1
Time: 15 mins
Consider children in your own settings. Discuss their needs in
relation to emotional well-being – use initials
Remember that children who appear happy and well-adjusted
will have needs as well.
• Make a list of children with specific needs in your setting.
• Identify incidents that have suggested children may have a
particular need.

8. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
It is important that practitioners should support children’s developing
holistic skills.
Children need to be encouraged:
• to be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured
• to practise skills and deal with everyday risks.
They need:
• activities to test themselves – What could these be?
• to be aware of their own limits – how can you encourage children
awareness of this?
• to be prepared to make mistakes – how can you encourage this?
• to feel the pleasure of success – how would you support this?
Work with children in a way that supports independence,
builds confidence and relationships between children

9. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
• Supporting independence
There are many strategies a practitioner can use to support independence
such as creating an enabling environment, ensuring that activities are
easily accessible to children.
• Building resilience and perseverance
Children need to know that it is acceptable to get things wrong and try
again. The practitioner has an important part to play in assuring them of
this, praising them for effort.
• Building confidence
Developing confidence is closely linked to independence and the
empowering of children. The practitioner support this by providing
challenge in small steps.
Work with children in a way that supports independence,
builds confidence and relationships between children (cont’d)

10. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
• Supporting self-reliance
Self-reliance is taking responsibility for your own actions and making your
own decisions. Practitioners can encourage this by providing problem
solving activities.
• Equipping children to protect themselves
Practitioners should be explaining about road safety, stranger danger etc.
They will provide activities where they have an opportunity to highlight
safety aspects, for example, cooking activities give an opportunity to
demonstrate safe use of tools.
• Building relationships between children
It is important to encourage relationships between children and develop
their social skills. A practitioner can do this through circle time and
providing group activities where children need to cooperate.
Work with children in a way that supports independence,
builds confidence and relationships between children (cont’d)

11. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
Using the case studies provided on James, Hetty and Lee,
suggest strategies for how you would:
• build James’ confidence
• encourage Hetty and Lee to develop appropriate relationships
with other children
• build up Nicky’s confidence and independence.

12. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
Charlie is in Year 3, she has just moved from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2. In
KS2, during PE, children are allowed to use the wall bars, climbing frame and
ropes. They weren’t allowed to use these in KS1 so the children are excited
when the teacher shows them how to get the apparatus out for the first time
and set it all up. She then tells them that they will be in groups circulating
around all the apparatus (which includes benches, beams, mats etc.) and they
will take it in turns to go on the wall bars and climbing frame.
As the children move around the apparatus they all get excited and look
forward to climbing up the climbing frame. However, Charlie tells the teacher
that she doesn’t want to go on the climbing frame and climb all the way to
the top.
• How would you deal with Charlie’s fears and build up her confidence?

13. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
Research the Forest Schools initiative. Find out what you can
about the philosophies behind Forest Schools.
Consider how they:
• Build resilience and perseverance
• Support self-reliance
• Equip children to protect themselves.

14. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
• Consider the benefits and the disadvantages of Forest
Schools.
• Make a list of both.
• Evaluate them and decide whether the Forest Schools
initiative is worthwhile in promoting the emotional well-being
of children.

15. Learning outcomes
LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting
• Identify the needs of children in own setting in relation to
emotional well-being
• Work with children in a way that:
• supports independence
• builds resilience and perseverance
• builds confidence
• supports self-reliance
• equips children to protect themselves
• builds relationships between children

16. LO4. Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in
own setting [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
• Thinking of your own setting, write a timetable for a typical
day.
• Highlight all the opportunities that are provided to support
independence, confidence and self-reliance.
• Are the children offered chances for ‘risky’ play?
• List activities which encourage children’s social development
and relationships with other children.

17. Summary: plenary activities
1. Note one strategy that you could use for supporting children’s
independence and self-reliance.
2. Note one strategy that you could use for building confidence and
equipping children to protect themselves.
3. Note one strategy that you could use to build children’s resilience and
perseverance.
4. Note one strategy that you could use to develop children’s relationships
with each other.