Recognising Vulnerability and Supporting Strength During Adolescence
Responses to neglect can often focus on younger children given they are totally reliant on the care of others to keep them safe. Without an understanding of adolescence this can mean that young people experiencing neglect can get overlooked.
It’s important to hold on to the fact that some of our young people have grown up with neglect and have been those much younger children for whom now, during adolescence, the impact of neglect is beginning to show itself in different ways.
Dez Holmes, Director at Research in Practice, explores in the below film the fundamentals of adolescent development and shares a crucial message that just because young people are older it doesn’t mean they cope better.
Dez Holmes Video Link
Let’s take a further look into 3 key messages of how neglect affects young people and what we can do to bring them into our focus as highlighted in the Ofsted thematic report: Growing up neglected: a multi-agency response to older children (2018)
DIFFERENT RISKS & WORKING WITH PARENTS/CARERS
The impact of neglect presents differently for older children leading to increased vulnerability of all forms of exploitation, offending behaviour, missing from home, self-harm etc. We need to ensure that we are responding to these risks appropriately but also considering any neglect that underpins them.
So, think about how the young person’s experiences of neglect is influencing their vulnerability rather than solely focussing on the presenting ‘behavioural’ risks. When we look beyond the behaviour and see it as a form of communication, alongside working with parents/carers to address the parental neglect, we increase the chances of positive change for the young person.
ADULT SERVICES
For those that work in adult focused services, such as adult mental health, drug & alcohol, probation, domestic abuse etc, if we think ‘whole family’ then our system will be able to provide another opportunity to identify and respond to adolescent neglect. Ask yourself 3 key questions:
1. Do my assessments consider if adults are parents/have caring responsibilities or are in the lives of children?
2. Am I connecting with how issues for the adult are impacting on any children and their ability to provide care or contribute to potential/actual neglect?
3. If so what level of support do the family need and how can I contribute to any multi-agency care plan?
SEE THE TRAUMA CONTEXT
The impact of neglect should also be seen in the context of trauma. For some young people trauma is both within and outside the home e.g. neglect within the home and harm outside the home in the form of exploitation.
Therefore, knowing how trauma shows itself is really important.
In Plymouth there is our very own Trauma Informed Network so for a range of resources to help develop our understanding and engagement with trauma informed and responsive practice please take a look at their website below.