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Pointers for Practice: Identifying Children Who May Require Early Interventions Because of Vulnerability to Abuse and Neglect

One cannot predict easily how individual children will be affected by suffering harm. Resilience and vulnerability to adverse childhood experiences as well as the support available to the child all play a part.

Nevertheless, children may demonstrate behaviours indicating vulnerability that if not addressed could escalate to the point where the child or young person may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.

These behaviours include:

  • displaying disruptive or anti-social behaviour
  • being bullied or bullying others
  • having poor attendance at school
  • being involved in, or at risk of, offending
  • having poor general health
  • having anxiety, depression or other mental health issues
  • misusing drugs or alcohol
  • having a particularly challenging relationship with parents or appearing to be unusually independent from their parents
  • experiencing difficulties at home, such as domestic abuse, parental substance abuse or parental mental health problems.

Some groups of children and young people may be more vulnerable than their peers to experiencing harm if they do not receive early help. Vulnerable groups include those who:

  • have been excluded from school
  • have special educational needs
  • are disabled
  • are in care
  • are leaving or preparing to leave care
  • are young carers
  • are young parents (or about to become young parents)
  • are experiencing housing issues (DfE, 2018)

Further information:

Cymru Well Wales: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/88524 (archived site; accessed 29/7/2019. New site is now at https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/adverse-childhood-experiences (Accessed 29/07/2019)

Department for Education (DfE) (2018) Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) (2018) About early intervention: why it matters. https://www.eif.org.uk/why-it-matters (Accessed 29/07/2019)