Page 2 - Final Lesson-3.pmd

Needs and Rights of Children

3.1 NEEDS OF CHILDREN

You have studied in an earlier lesson the need and importance of providing
Notes stimulating experiences to promote the overall development of the child. Hence,

parents and other caregivers are required to create a conducive environment and
provide ample opportunities to children for their development and learning.
During the process of growth and development, children have certain needs like
psychological, social, health and educational which need to be timely fulfilled.
A need can be defined as something that is essential for a person to lead a healthy
and productive life. One should understand that there is a difference between
‘needs’ and ‘wants’. The latter may be desirable but they are not essential for
an individual. Let us study some of these needs.

3.1.1 Psychological Needs

(i) Security, safety and protection: Children need to grow up as positive-
minded, happy, healthy and contributing citizens of the nation. For this, it
is essential that they grow up in an environment where they feel physically,
psychologically and emotionally safe and secure. When children feel safe
and secure, they learn to trust other people and their environment. Children
who do not feel safe and secure can become anxious, insecure and unhappy.
This can affect their development, health and learning. Lack of safety may
lead to issues of trust and attachment with others. Such children may grow
up into socially maladjusted adults.

(ii) Love and affection: Every child needs to be loved. The need for love and
affection is the foundation for developing healthy relations and establishing
trust with others. Children brought up in a caring and loving environment

Fig. 3.1 Love and affection between parents and child
32 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION