The Marvellous Maslow

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In his 1943 paper "A theory of Human Motivation" Abraham Maslow set out his Hierarchy of Needs and proposed that to reach self-actualisation and become the best we can be, we first must have a range of needs met. In my opinion this theory has links to every aspect of Early Years Care and Education and a key component of reflective early years practice.

Let's start with the end. What are your goals for each individual child at your setting? Would it be something along the lines of, “I want each child to be fully present in the moment, learning, playing alongside their friends and achieving all they can possibly achieve”.  For each child to reach their own unique full potential is the universal goal of Early Childhood Care and Education. We want them to have the best start in life as we know how valuable these first few years are. So, if that is the goal, how do we get there? My belief is that the best way there is through a person-centred approach that is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

In 1943 Maslow created his pyramid of needs with self-actualisation at the top. If you have all your needs met, you have reached the summit of the pyramid and you are achieving your unique full potential.  This is where we want children to be, we want them to be achieving all they can, we want to have a feeling of belonging, we want to be creative and self-confident and resilient. This is our aim, to keep children in this layer of the pyramid for as long as possible so they can learn and achieve. In order to be in this layer though we have to have a large number of needs met first and only when that layer’s needs are met can we progress to the next one. Remember though, the Self Actualisation layer is our goal, but our life is one of constant flow and change so once we are in that layer, we are not their forever. You must continue to work and reflect on all the layers below to maintain self-actualisation. Let us have a look at these other layers and how they are linked to Early Years Care and Education.

The layer at the bottom of the pyramid is the Physiological Level. Young children need nutritious food, water, plenty of sleep, shelter and other human beings. If they do not get these things, they will not thrive. So, when reflecting on your setting this would be looking at the absolute basics, can children access their drink when they need it? Are they able to find a quite spot for a rest if needed? How do you work with families and carers to ensure the child is having enough sleep? Are nappies changed regularly and are nose wiped when needed? If you are doing this effectively (which you really should) then children are having all their needs met in this area and can progress up the pyramid.

As we move up to the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the requirements start to become a bit more complex. At this level, the needs for security, order, stability safety become primary. Babies and young children rely mostly on adults to provide this for them.  We all find comfort in a routine, knowing we are safe and secure as this free’s up our minds to focus on other areas and learning.  So, in this level you need to reflect on your daily routine. Does it provide a framework for the day that children will recognise whilst also allowing enough freedom for children to pursue their own ideas? In this level as well you would be reflecting on your health and safety daily check lists, your food hygiene, your risk assessments, first aid training, security of the building, collection policy and also the Safeguarding and Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.  When staff, children and the families of the children feel safe at your setting only then will their mind and body be free to learn, express themselves and flourish.

After physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is social and involves feelings of belongingness. The social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include such things as love, acceptance, and belonging. Children in our settings need our unconditional love, understanding and for us to respect and listen to them. Through this first relationship with a Key Person children see (maybe for the first time) that someone outside of their family or home is capable of showing care and understanding towards them. As this relationship develops the child (who has had their physiological and safety needs met as well) begins to explore the setting more and more and builds up different relationships with other staff members and then their peers. This is a massive moment in the child’s life.  The Key Person Policy and Procedure is vitally important to a successful setting. How do you establish, develop and maintain relationships with children and their families? Do you give enough time and space for these relationships to develop and is training provided for staff on how best to support children and families starting at your setting? Also, in this level you would be considering how your environment is set up to support children playing and learning together. Does your physical and emotional environment encourage playing together? Do your routines allow for children to choose who they want to sit with for snack, etc?

At the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for appreciation and respect. When the needs at the bottom three levels have been satisfied, the esteem needs begin to play a more prominent role in motivating behaviour. We all require the occasional pat on the back and well done and in this area, we focus on how we support children in developing good self-confidence and self-esteem. At this young age children are very focused on external evaluation and praise, and they are just developing the skills required to evaluate their own achievements and actions. So, in this early stage of life adults play an important role in supporting children to feel good about themselves, have high self-esteem and believe they can achieve. It is important to ensure that praise is linked to something real not just “good boy” and also you must remember that your love and care is not conditional on the child doing certain things or behaving in certain ways. In the Love and Belonging layer it was clear that the child must experience unconditional love and care to move beyond this stage. So how is each child in your setting supported to feel good about what they have achieved? Do you celebrate all artwork and display it?   Are children given the time to reflect on what they have done during the session to stop and say “Wow, I did this today”? If they do feel like this then you have reached the top of the summit and they will be in a state of self-actualisation.

It is very important to remember that none of us are at the top of the pyramid all the time, we may only have a few moments a day and unfortunately some people never get there. When you see the pyramid like this though you can see what the goal is and how each layer must be achieved before the next one? Children are not going to be building relationships, learning those first vital skills in life if they are hungry, tired, feel unsafe, are actually unsafe, at risk of abuse, don’t have caring relationship, do not experience unconditional positive regard, don’t feel supported and encouraged to achieve, etc, etc. You can see that each step in the pyramid is as important, and our lives see us going up and down the pyramid all the time.

The key is to reflect on your setting, be aware that each child and family has different needs and unique full potential and be there physically and emotionally for them. The other key thing to remember is that you cannot fill from an empty cup, you cannot help others climb to the summit until you are safely secure yourself. We can all help each other reach the top, be the best we can be and make the world a better place but it all starts from within. You have the knowledge, skills and opportunity to become the best person you can be and support the next generation of human beings to be the best person they can be. How fantastic is that!