Children and families at risk due to living circumstances

All children need a nurturing, supportive family and community to reach their full potential. Vulnerable children who are exposed to abuse and neglect must be protected and supported so they can have the best chance in life. Some children are at higher risk of physical and emotional harm than others because of their living circumstances or home environment.

Babies, children and young people who experience abuse and neglect can suffer harmful effects on their physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social development. The damage caused can undermine a child’s ability to develop trust and form close relationships.

A child may be at risk of harm through actual or likely physical, psychological or emotional harm, or through what is not done for them (neglect), often by an adult responsible for their care. Young people may also be at risk because of environmental factors such as homelessness, or because of self-harming behaviors. Abuse and neglect are usually not single incidents but happen over time, and their effects can be cumulative. Abuse affects children from all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Why children are vulnerable#

Children are particularly vulnerable to abuse because:

• They depend on adults.
• They are often unable, or do not have the opportunity, to stand up to adults and speak for themselves.
• They are placed in the care of many different people, such as parents, teachers, coaches, babysitters and family, where there is potential for abuse.
• Society often promotes the idea that children “belong” to their parents, so that parents’ rights are seen to outweigh children’s rights.

Risks at different ages#

Babies#

Abuse and neglect in the first two years of life can have significant, long-term consequences for development. Risks for babies include parental mental health problems or intellectual disability that affect the parent’s care of the infant, and a parental history of abuse or neglect of this or another child. The baby’s own health needs may add to these difficulties.

Factors such as family violence, parental drug and alcohol use, parental mental illness and intellectual disability can reduce a parent’s ability to provide proper supervision, nurturing and care. A lack of supervision, along with environmental neglect, can expose babies and toddlers to serious risk of physical harm. If children do not feel secure with their primary carers, or do not get enough stimulation, this can harm their development and their ability to form close relationships later in life.

Children#

Primary school-age children are particularly at risk of physical and sexual abuse. Emotional abuse through aggressive parenting and a lack of supervision can place some children at greater risk of physical harm. Neglect of a child’s educational, dental, health and social needs can also affect their ability to progress successfully into adolescence.

Young people#

Adolescence can be a time of increased risk taking, particularly experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Young people who do not have strong relationships with the adults in their family are even more at risk.

Populations at higher risk#

Children from all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds can experience adversity, abuse and neglect. However, evidence suggests that some children are at higher risk of certain forms of harm because of their age, health or social situation.

Some populations face higher risk linked to historical and present-day disadvantage. Where communities have experienced dispossession, discrimination, and the separation of children from their families, the resulting loss of identity and disruption can contribute to ongoing problems, including poverty, substance dependence and family violence. Understanding and addressing harm in these communities requires recognizing both this history and current circumstances.

Children with disabilities#

Children with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse and neglect than other children. Long-term dependency and a high rate of communication difficulties increase their vulnerability. Children who are deaf or who have a severe physical disability have been identified as being at particular risk, especially if the child’s carer or “interpreter” is also the abuser.

Children of a parent with a disability#

Parents with a disability may face additional challenges in raising their children. The needs of parents with an intellectual disability vary from person to person and change over time as their circumstances and their children’s needs change. Skilled assessment of parents with a disability is important when considering reports of abuse or neglect.

Children with medical needs#

Neglect can arise in caring for babies, children or young people with acute or chronic health needs when a parent or carer is unable or unwilling to provide the medical care required, sometimes over long periods, to maintain the child’s health or to provide palliative care during a terminal illness.

Fabricated or induced illness by carers (sometimes called Munchausen syndrome by proxy) is the deliberate production or fabrication of physical or psychological symptoms in a child by a parent or carer. Suspicion often arises when a child is repeatedly brought to doctors or hospitals with symptoms that are hard to explain. Symptoms may be induced (such as breathlessness or choking caused by suffocation) or made up (such as fictitious seizures).

Children in out-of-home care#

Children in out-of-home care have often experienced extreme family dysfunction over a long period, along with episodes of abuse. They frequently have significant emotional and behavioral problems, developmental delays and neglected health needs. Most are cared for by extended family and foster carers, although a small proportion, generally over 12 years of age, are cared for in residential units. Even after being removed from harm, they remain vulnerable to further abuse and exploitation unless their carers are well supported and appropriate services are provided.

Children exposed to family violence#

A child may be harmed directly or indirectly by physical violence, including while trying to protect another person. Living in a climate of fear and intimidation in a home where family violence occurs can also cause emotional and psychological trauma.

Children of parents with a drug or alcohol problem#

Many studies report that parental substance abuse and child abuse can occur together. Parents who use drugs may avoid prenatal and postnatal care and may not seek help with parenting problems, fearing their drug use will be exposed, which can lead to child protection involvement. They may feel nothing is wrong, lose interest in parenting, become isolated, or lack access to relevant services, particularly in rural areas and in areas of urban poverty.

Children of parents with a mental illness#

Mental health problems can affect a parent’s ability to function, and drug or alcohol use often makes this worse. Depression, substance dependence and personality disorders are the most commonly reported conditions among parents who abuse their children. Parents with mental illness may find it hard to relate to their child, may use impulsive physical discipline, or may fail to meet the child’s emotional and developmental needs. All professionals working with parents who have a mental illness are encouraged to ask about the children and act to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Children of culturally and linguistically diverse parents#

Parenting practices vary between cultures. While cultural diversity must be respected, abuse or neglect of children remains unlawful and must be assessed according to local law. It is important that parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are supported to understand local laws and are given information to help them parent safely.

Homeless children#

Children who are homeless, or whose families are homeless, often experience physical, psychological and emotional harm. Babies born into homelessness are more likely to have low birthweights, which can lead to ongoing health problems, and developmental delays among preschoolers can lead to later behavioral and emotional difficulties.

Separation from parents can cause long-term negative effects. The stressful and traumatic events homeless children face, but are often too young to understand, can lead to severe emotional distress. Their schooling can suffer both from poor cognitive development and from the disruption of constantly moving.

How you can help#

If you believe a child is experiencing abuse or neglect and needs protection, you can report your concerns to your local child protection service. These services are aimed at supporting children and young people at risk of harm, or where families are unable to protect them.

If you are concerned about the immediate safety of a child, contact your local child protection service straight away, using the crisis or after-hours line for your area if one is available.

In an emergency, always call your local emergency number (for example 911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU and many countries, 999 in the UK, or 000 in Australia)

Key points#

• Children, in particular, are vulnerable to abuse because they are dependent on adults
• The importance of adequate nurturing in early life cannot be overstated
• Primary school-age children are particularly at risk of physical and sexual abuse
• Young people who do not have strong relationships with the adults in their family are even more at risk
• Deaf children and those with severe physical disability have been identified as being at particular risk

Where to get help#