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BBC - BBC Trailers, BBC Children in Need: The Heaviest Backpack

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* The Resilience Framework summarises a set of ideas and practices that promote resilience. It is based on a body of research and practice development called Resilient Therapy (RT).
* This was originally developed by Angie Hart and Derek Blincow, with help from Helen Thomas and a group of parents and practitioners.
* Adapted versions have been created to adapt the Framework to different groups.
How the Resilience Framework was developed
We took the resilience research evidence base and padded other sets of ideas from our practice with very disadvantaged children and families in an NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic, working closely with schools and other agencies. Alongside this, Professor Angie Hart's adoptive parenting knowledge went into the mix and, more recently, we've collected experiences from a much wider group of collaborators.

We distilled all these different sets of ideas into a handy table that summarises our approach and acts as a reminder to people of what's included. We've called this table various things over the years, and have represented it in different ways - firstly, as a Resilient Therapy Magic Box of potions and remedies, a toolkit of ideas, then a more detailed summary table.

The current doesn't use the language of 'therapy', so that it is more accessible to a wider range of people. It is available as a black and white Resilience Framework in case you, or the young people you support, prefer to colour code the Framework yourselves, or don't have access to a colour printer. There is also a blank Resilience Framework so that you can write your own items if you wish.

The Resilience Framework has been translated into Greek, Spanish, Turkish, French, Swedish, Portuguese, Danish and Polish with more languages on the way. We've also been developing a version of the table for use with adults, the Resilience Framework for Adults, also available in German, and a Family Resilience Framework to support members of the wider family (parents, siblings, carers etc.).

All our tables and frameworks are available as PDFs and can be downloaded from the Boingboing website. But the Interactive Framework we've designed especially for schools is probably what you want at the moment. Marton Primary School, Blackpool, have also co-produced a Resilience Framework for Primary School children.
The Summary Table & how it works
The Summary Table visually shows you how we have split our ideas under five headings or compartments - Basics, Belonging, Learning, Coping and Core Self - to help us think strategically and practically about doing things resiliently.

Within each of these compartments is a selection of evidenced based ideas or remedies, to draw on when trying to make a resilient move with a child or young person. Navigate through the table to find out more about each term.

The Resilience Framework Summary Table does look pretty simple, but there's quite a lot of work behind it. And if you're thinking you are still unsure about how to give it a go, take a look at the Resilient Therapy background page and see if it can help.

If you really want to get stuck into understanding how we put it together, and get more information about how to use it, you might want to get hold of one of our books.

We've also used it in other places on this website to give you more of an idea of how to put some of the ideas into practice so don't bother buying a book before you have had a good look around the website for ideas such as

* The Resilient Classroom - a Tutor resource
* And check out ' One Step Forward' - a Looked After Children's resilience resource
* Have a look at the film below which was features Hove Park School (secondary) in Brighton where the Resilient Classroom resource was developed as part of a whole school approach to promoting resilience.

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CRSJ / Boingboing / ResilienceRevolution

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How to use the Resilience Framework - Boingboing

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The Resilience Framework summarises a set of ideas and practices that promote resilience. It is based on a body of research and practice development called Resilient Therapy (RT). * This was originally developed by Angie Hart and Derek Blincow, with help from Helen Thomas and a group of parents and practitioners.

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An introduction to the Equality Act 2010

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We can help you keep your child safe. Read advice and support for parents on children's mental health, staying safe online and what to do if you're worried about a child.

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This A2 poster summarises the articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to enhance your classroom discussion and provide a useful reference point.

We deliver to addresses within Mainland UK, Scottish Islands & Channel Islands

Please note that unfortunately we can no longer accept international and EU orders, including orders to the Republic of Ireland.

To place an order please email our resources team or call on 0844 801 2413.

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This A2 poster summarises articles from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for reference and enhances classroom discussion.

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What is the UN Convention?

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the basis of all of our work. It is the most complete statement of children's rights ever produced and is the most widely-ratified international human rights treaty in history.

What makes the UN Convention so special?

The Convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child's life and set out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights.

Every child has rights "without discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status" (Article 2).

The Convention must be seen as a whole: all the rights are linked and no right is more important than another. The right to relax and play (Article 31) and the right to freedom of expression (Article 13) have equal importance as the right to be safe from violence (Article 19) and the right to education (Article 28).

We are the only organisation working for children recognised by the Convention.

The Convention is also the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. All UN member states except for the United States have ratified the Convention. The Convention came into force in the UK in 1992.

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UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - UNICEF UK

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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the basis for all of UNICEF's work and upholds children's rights all over the world.

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The Good Childhood Report 2024 | The Children’s Society

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Our Good Childhood Report 2024, shows the latest trends in children’s wellbeing.

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The terms stigma and stereotype are often used to describe negative behaviors in society that are directed towards specific groups of people. When a certain thing is attached to a stigma, it is associated with feelings of shame.

Stigmas are often driven by negative stereotypes, which are an oversimplified and popular belief or idea about a particular group of people or person that is often untrue or only partially true.

In society, stigmas and stereotypes are often involved in shaming or discriminating against people who have a mental illness, certain disabilities, or are a part of a certain sexuality, race, or religion.

Both stereotypes and stigmas can have powerful holds on society as a whole and can leave a mark on certain people or groups that leave them feeling ashamed or in danger for simply being. Read on to find out more about stigmas and stereotypes and how they differ from one another.

Stigma vs. Stereotype Definitions

The Oxford dictionary defines stigma as, "a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person," whereas a stereotype is defined as, "a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing."

While the two definitions seem similar, and they are, there are some marked differences between the two. A stigma is always negative and develops because of a stereotype. Stereotypes, although often wrong or partially wrong, aren't always negative.

For example, there is a stigma surrounding mental health that has made it difficult for many people to seek out professional care when they need it at the risk of being shamed or judged based on their condition.

This stigma is enforced by the stereotype that people with mental illness are psychotic, hostile, or incompetent even though that is not the case.

The Development of Stigmas and Stereotypes

Discrimination

According to the American Psychiatric Association, stigmas that develop because of perpetuated stereotypes can lead to discrimination.

Discrimination is the unfair treatment of groups of people because of held beliefs surrounding their health status, sex, age, or race. Discrimination can be both direct and indirect and can come in the form of:

Excluding certain groups of people from things such as rental housing, employment, or other services.

Imposing extra measures on certain groups of people that do not apply to the rest of the general population.

Direct discrimination occurs when done directly from one person to a specific group of people, and indirect discrimination is when a person is discriminatory on behalf of someone else.

For example, a person that owns a rental property excludes a person with a disability from living at the property. That is a form of direct discrimination. A manager of a rental property that has been told to screen people with disabilities is an example of indirect discrimination.

Another example of discrimination is when an older adult applies for a job that they are qualified for. Since they are older than other candidates, the employer decides to hire someone with fewer qualifications because they are younger. That is a form of age discrimination.

Cultural Perpetuation

Cultural perpetuation is a way in which certain stigmas and stereotypes continue to pass from one generation to the next. This type of perpetuation of certain long-held beliefs or notions surrounding stigmas and stereotypes is what gives them their longevity.

How Does Cultural Perpetuation Advance Stereotypes?

Studies suggest that stereotypes are perpetuated because of the cultural schema theory, which is a theory based on the idea that people use certain classifications to help them understand cultures other than their own.

When they do this with misinformation that they have been taught about specific groups of people, they keep the cycle of stereotypical discrimination going.

The idea of cultural schema can also be used to help people justify certain negative experiences they've had because they connect them to long-held negative stereotypical beliefs.

Consequences of Stigma and Stereotypes

The vast collection of stigmas and stereotypes still prevalent in today's society leads to negative consequences for the people and groups involved. These consequences range depending on the group being stigmatized and the result of the discrimination.

On Marginalized Groups

Marginalized populations are groups of people that are continuously subjected to discrimination and exclusion because of who they are. Some examples of marginalized groups include:

People who belong to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit (2S), androgynous and asexual (LGBTQQIP2SAA) community

Minority races

Older adults

People with disabilities or chronic health conditions

Those who have immigrated to the United States

People who do not speak English or have learned English as a second language

People who fall into a low-income category

These groups are marginalized because there is an uneven distribution of power between social groups and that is largely due to stereotypical beliefs and stigmas. The consequences of this power imbalance lead to many challenges and discrepancies, such as:

Less emotional support

Increased feelings of anger and a loss of control over one's own life

An increase in negative interactions within society

Higher rates of substance abuse

An increased risk of both psychological and physiological disease or illness

Higher rates of suicide

Around Mental Health

The stigma surrounding mental health has been slowly decreasing in recent years, however, it is still going strong and those with mental health issues are still subject to discrimination. Because of this, people with mental health issues can experience:

A reduced sense of hope

Lower self-esteem

An increase in their symptoms

Difficulties maintaining social relationships accompanied by social isolation

A lessened chance that they will stick to their treatment plan or seek help for their disorder

Difficulties in the workplace or issues finding opportunities to participate in gainful employment, studies, or school activities

Physical violence or harassment

Bullying

An inability to access health insurance that covers the cost of their treatment

Self-Stigma and Mental Illness

Around Substance Abuse

Many people with addiction or substance abuse disorder often find themselves heavily stigmatized. People look down on those who use substances, and because of this, certain consequences plague people with addiction. They can include:

Having a more difficult time reaching out for help out of fear of being judged or getting into trouble

Hiding their use of drugs or using alone which can be dangerous

A lowered quality of life because it can be more challenging to find housing or a job

Having a difficult time getting proper health care

Overdose

When people suffer from addiction, they can experience three types of stigma: self, social, and structural.

Self-stigma is when they begin to have negative attitudes towards themselves which can increase drug use, cause low-self-esteem, and avoid reaching out for help. Social stigma comes from outside sources and often leads to self-stigma.

Structural is imposed on people with addiction by healthcare providers, people who offer social services, workplaces, and government organizations. All three types are what cause the aforementioned consequences.

Advocating Against Negative Stigma

There are many things that can be done to help reduce stigma across different groups. Becoming an ally with groups that experience stereotypical discrimination is the first step in understanding how they are affected and what needs to be done to change how society views certain communities.

What the Law Says

There are various laws in place that are designed to keep discrimination from occurring, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't still happen.

For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act was developed to help protect people with disabilities from discrimination. That being said, not all laws that are in place to end stigma and discrimination based on stigma are adhered to all of the time.

What You Can Do

There are several things that can be done to help reduce stigma. They include:

Educational programs: Anti-stigma education interventions can present factual information to a wide audience to help reduce the stigma that surrounds a certain group of people.

Mental Health Literacy Campaigns: Similar to the educational program strategy, mental health literacy campaigns aim to implement the sharing of mental health information to help positively change society's knowledge and attitude towards those with mental illnesses.

Contact: People with stereotypical views rarely come into contact with the people that are a part of the group being stigmatized in their minds. To reduce stigma, people have to overcome the divide and spend more time with those in stigmatized groups.

Protest and Advocacy: Protests have been highly effective strategies for civil rights changes. Participating in peaceful protests with those who have experienced discrimination and their allies can help you impose change at the grassroots level.

Stigmas and stereotypes are still rampant in the United States. Although the two are not the same thing, they both develop into discriminatory behaviors towards people that do not deserve it.

While there is change to be made, some groups that have been stigmatized for much of modern history are beginning to see the tides change. The way to ensure that progress continues to be made is through becoming an ally and lawful advocacy.

A Word From Verywell

Belonging to a group of people that are constantly discriminated against because of a widely accepted stereotype can be difficult. The consequences surrounding stigmas are damaging to both a single person and society as a whole.

The longer people hold onto stigmas and pass them down through generations, the further we get as a society when it comes to being collective, inclusive, and providing equity to all. To do your part, you can become an advocate for change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there different types of stigma?

There are three main types of stigma: self, social, and structural. Self-stigma occurs when a person is convinced that the negative beliefs of others are valid and begins to see themselves in the way that those who stigmatize them do. Social is when society stigmatizes an individual or group of people as a whole, causing feelings of shame. Finally, structural stigmas are perpetuated by workplaces, social services, and healthcare providers. These can be the most damaging because they often lead people to refrain from seeking help.

Are stereotypes always negative?

While a stigma is always negative, stereotypes are not. They can be both positive and negative. That being said, both negative and positive stereotypes can have negative consequences because they are often untrue.

What influences stigmas vs. stereotypes?

Stereotypes influence the development of stigmas and stigmas influence discrimination. While the three are different in definition, they are all closely tied together. You cannot have a stigma without a perpetuated stereotype.

Which diseases are often stigmatized?

People most often hear about mental disorders being highly stigmatized, but they are not the only health condition that is attached to negative beliefs and attitudes. Other disorders that are or have been heavily stigmatized include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, epilepsy, substance use disorders, and venereal diseases.

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What's The Difference Between a Stigma and a Stereotype?

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The terms stigma and stereotype are often used to describe negative behaviors in society that are directed towards specific groups of people. When a certain thing is attached to a stigma, it is associated with feelings of shame.

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Social Media and Mental Health: Social Media Addiction

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Excessive use of social media can fuel anxiety, depression, FOMO and other mental health issues. Here’s how to change your habits for the better.

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Mental health is more important in today's world than ever before courtesy of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With many Americans forced to remain home, TV and/or online media consumption has increased at a rate never seen before.

With the new normal of binge-watching movies and television shows, it has become quite obvious that the portrayal of mental health in the media is grossly exaggerated. Many falsehoods have led to the increased negative stigma of the various illnesses associated with poor mental health .

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is essentially our psychological, emotional, and social welfare. Mental health not only affects how we feel but also how we think and act. Mental health regulates our ability to deal with stress, relate to our family, friends, co-workers, and most importantly the types of choices we make in life; and with both positive and negative effects.

Maintaining positive mental health is key from our early development up until the time we are ready to pass on to the afterlife or beyond. The media portrayal of what is mental health is often skewed and consistently lends to negative stigmas which only furthers the decline of one's feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Different types of mental health disorders include but are not limited to:

Psychosis - This type of mental illness leads to a distorted sense of thought and being. Often those affected will hallucinate and become delusional about "reality".

Mental Health in TV and the Media: The Real Fake News

Mental health in television shows is rarely if ever, portrayed as anything but negative and to the extreme. Reality TV shows are just one example of how "reality" is skewed with an obvious acceptance of negative behaviors, false thoughts, and extreme emotions. From constant conflicts, excessive drinking, and poor body image to just name a few. This kind of television often leads their audience into admiring these types of characters and their crazy lifestyles. Lots of these shows and their themes can have negative effects on the cast members, production crew, and their intended audiences. These shows highlight and even celebrate poor mental health which can distress others who are affected by these common disorders.

Local and national news broadcasts can be just as harmful in the portrayal of mental health as reality TV. As we have seen with the constant unrest with recent elections and the various social justice movements, those affected with poor mental health are often portrayed as extremists or as "crazy". This is not only dismissive of their beliefs and causes, but also harmful by not highlighting the need to focus more on positive mental health rather than the side effects which manifest these types of extreme behaviors.

Mental Health in Films: A Distorted Past

Mental health on the big screen also faces the same negative challenges that reality television shows and news broadcasts do. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, however, it is one of the most inaccurate portrayals of the real afflictions of mental health and its many .

In 1975 it was a common theme in films like these to show extreme and unproven treatments for those affected with mental health issues like electroshock and psychotherapies like lobotomies. These procedures were not only ineffective but they also lent to the idea that there was a simple "fix" to someone's mental health decline rather than a deeper look into the root of the problem.

Thankfully, with the internet and the advancement of modern medicine and proven treatments, the film today has the opportunity to redeem itself and shine a light on the less extreme approaches of treatment for those who suffer from poor mental health.

Culture and Mental Health

According to various medical surveys and reports, minorities are far less likely to seek mental health treatment here in the United States of America. Culture can play a large role in whether or not someone seeks out mental health treatment.

Some ways that culture can affect mental health include but are not limited to:

Stigma - For many cultures, there is a stigma surrounding mental health. Poor mental health and disorders are often considered to be a sign of weakness.

Community - Culture often determines how much emotional support someone might receive from his or her community. Since there is so much stigma associated with mental health issues, it often extends to family support as well since the families do not want the stigma placed upon them as well as the one directly affected.

Mental Health Today: A More Positive Portrayal in the Media

With the ongoing pandemic and television, film, and media consumption on the rise feeding into the negative side effects of poor mental health, there has been a growing list of TV shows and films that "attempt" to portray mental health issues more accurately. These TV shows and films do this by using humor, real-life situations like conflicts, and traumatic situations to shine the light on the commonality of mental health issues and disorders.

Some TV shows that lend to a more positive portrayal of mental health struggles include but are not limited to:

1. This Is Us - An emotional TV drama that demonstrates how the complex lives of the Pearson family converge in unanticipated ways. The show remains focused on dealing with and the ways the characters cope with this side effect of mental illness.

2. Parks And Recreation - A fictional TV comedy that is best known for its comical characters whilst positively depicting the battles of depression through the character, Chris Traeger.

Some Films that lend to a more positive portrayal of mental health struggles include but are not limited to:

1. Black Swan - A dark, psychological thriller of the portrayal of the warped and tortured mind of Nina Sayers. Nina suffers from many mental health issues due to the immense pressure of being a professional ballerina.

2. Rain Man - A drama-filled comedy that follows the lives of two brothers, Charlie and Raymond Babbitt. Charlie is an autistic savant and the film gained notoriety for being the first to bring autism into the public eye.

Mental Health & the Media: Time for a Change

More now than ever there must be a more accurate portrayal of mental health in TV, film, and online or streaming media. By depicting real-life stories and struggles of the battles of poor mental health can not only help people to recognize that may be necessary, but it also removes the stigma previously commonly associated with these diseases. This will only further assist those affected by mental health disorders to feel included and hopefully seek out the treatment that they so often desperately need.

Mental Health: No More Fake News

Thankfully treatments for mental health are expanding and are becoming more tailored to meet the needs of all individuals battling these illnesses.

Some mental health treatments available include but are not limited to:

Interested in Improving Your Mental Health?

Are you interested in easing into a mental health program or complementing traditional treatments with something fun, effective, and non-intrusive? The trained staff at Montare Behavioral Health is excited to help you improve your mental health and unlock your creativity and your path to wellness in the process! Give mental health therapy at Montare Behavioral Health a try today!

References:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2019/07/four-ways-culture-impacts-mental-health/

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The Portrayal of Mental Health in The Media | Montare Behavioral

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It has become obvious that the portrayal of mental health in the media is exaggerated. Many falsehoods have led to the increased negative stigma.

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Generation Z refers to the generation born roughly between the years 1997 and 2012. They are the first generation to be completely raised with the Internet and smartphones, and have grown up with a very different experience of the world than previous generations.

Specifically, they are interconnected globally with a diverse range of people and largely communicate through technology and social media. This generation of over 60 million people in the United States is slowly starting to face real world challenges like paying for school, finding a job, and managing stress of daily life as an adult.

This raises the question: How is Gen Z handling their mental health compared to previous generations? They have grown up in tumultuous times that have included multiple stressors such as 9/11, school shootings, climate change, and political unrest, but this generation has consistently proven itself to be one that openly speaks about mental health.

Why Is Gen Z Using Therapy More Than Previous Generations?

In a report released by the American Psychiatric Association entitled "Stress in America: Generation Z" in October, 2019, Gen Z were more likely to have received treatment or gone to therapy (37%) compared to Millennials (35%), Gen X'ers (26%), Baby Boomers (22%), and the Silent Generation (15%).

Furthermore, Gen Z were more likely to report their mental health as fair or poor (27%), compared to their older counterpart generations, namely Millennials (15%) and Gen X (13%).

The reason for this trend of increasing use of mental health services and reporting mental health being poor is likely threefold:

Life has introduced a different variety of stressors, leading to increased psychological concerns and more need for services for mental health.

Awareness of mental health issues has grown, so that what once might have been ignored is recognized as a problem and treated as such.

Stigma around using mental health services has lessened, making it more likely that Gen Z will identify their own issues and seek help when they feel they have a mental health problem that can be treated.

Increased Psychological Concerns Among Gen Z

Gen Z has numerous reasons to feel more stressed than previous generations. Ultimately, stress can contribute to psychological concerns such as anxiety and depression. Below are some of the stressors that may be contributing to increased psychological issues among Gen Z.

75% of Gen Z respondents (300 15- to 17-year-olds) reported feeling stress about mass school shootings in the Stress in America survey, conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of APA in July & August, 2018.

In another poll, it was reported that almost half of Gen Z respondents reported being connected online for 10 or more hours a day. More screen time means less time spent connecting with others in person, which could increase feelings of isolation and loneliness. Being ultra-connected could also mean more pressure and expectations with less downtime (e.g., if doing school or work online).

In the APA report, 91% of Gen Z respondents reported experiencing physical or psychological symptoms due to stress. Causes of stress were identified as money/work (64%), debt (33%), housing (31%), and hunger (28%). Of these, only half reported that they were doing enough to manage their stress.

Gen Z may also have increased stress due to world issues such as climate change, political climate, immigration, and fear about the future in general.

Gen Z is the first generation to be exposed to potentially harmful content through social media at a young age (e.g., self-harm videos).

Research from the University College London found that Gen Z was more likely to self-harm, have a poorer body image, skip sleep, be overweight, and have depression.

Gen Z also faces pressure related to social media and technology, including harassment (sexual or otherwise), bullying, and the need to conform.

Awareness: Why Gen Z Is More Open About Their Mental Health

It is also possible that the increased usage of therapy by Gen Z is a result of this generation being more open about their mental health. Being more aware of and accepting of mental health concerns in general will lead to more open discussion about psychological problems and how to manage stress.

What is the reason for Gen Z being more open about their mental health? There are likely multiple reasons. Prior generations may have paved the way for Gen Z's openness through increasing awareness of mental health and public campaigns to reduce stigma.

Social media and the internet have connected Gen Z with other people's stories, be it strangers on the Internet or celebrities and influencers.

All of these factors may have made it easier for Gen Z to talk openly about their mental health struggles compared to previous generations such as Millenials and Gen X (many of their parents' generation). Normalizing conversations about mental health mean that Gen Z has the ability to deal with their issues and move on rather than staying stuck-and that's the choice many of them are making.

This generation doesn't want to be held back by mental health concerns. Rather, they'd like to get treatment for them so that they have good mental health to do the things that they want to do in life. They don't want to be held back by mental health problems, because they have seen that it's possible to feel better and want that for themselves.

Reduced Stigma: Why There Is Less Mental Health Stigma Among Gen Z

Another reason that Gen Z might be receiving treatment more often than previous generations is that there is less stigma around them asking for help.

Unlike Millenials and Gen X'ers, who still belonged to a generation in which talking about mental health problems or asking for help was viewed as unusual or wrong, Gen Z are part of a cohort who doesn't feel that same stigma. This begs the question: why is there less stigma for this generation? Why has the stigma lessened in the era of Gen Z?

Normalizing Mental Health Treatment

Gen Z has grown up in a world where it's normal and considered natural to get treatment for psychological problems. They don't know any different and so they don't attach any bad feelings to speaking about it.

Asking for help for mental health is viewed as a strength rather than a weakness among Gen Z, the same as going to the doctor for a broken bone would be seen as a smart thing to do.

Social Media to Destigmatize

Social media has helped to normalize mental health problems and reduce stigma among this generation through interconnectedness and shared understanding. Gen Z has a feeling of social support through their connections online that previous generations did not have.

Gen Z has grown up in an age where getting help is promoted and normalized (e.g., seeing ads for online therapy on social media). Baby Boomers didn't see the Internet emerge in many cases until their 40's and 50s. Gen X wasn't regularly on the Internet until their late 20's. Some Millenials grew up with the Internet but others did not.

In contrast, Gen Z has grown up with the full spectrum of awareness when it comes to mental health. Rather than being hidden in the shadows, mental health is discussed in the same way that one would talk about brushing their teeth or washing their hair. Social media and the Internet is largely the driving force behind this change in perspective, along with gradually changing views in mainstream media and public perception.

Call Out Culture

Gen Z has grown up in a world where it is the norm for stigma to be called out as unacceptable. This is especially evident in how language has changed (i.e., certain terms referring to mental health have become unacceptable to use because of their negative connotation).

Generations prior to Gen Z were often more limited in what they knew about mental health to what their parents told them, what they learned in school, and what was generally whispered or gossiped about in their personal lives and in popular culture.

What Other Generations Can Learn From Gen Z

What can other generations learn from Gen Z when it comes to being more open about mental health concerns, seeking treatment when it's warranted, and reducing stigma? Below are some takeaways for anyone in an older generation than Gen Z.

Social Media Isn't All Bad

There is a tendency for those from other generations, particularly Gen X and Baby Boomers, to consider the Internet and online world to be a negative distraction for younger generations. However, this perspective doesn't take into account the benefits of being connected to others on a global scale.

Generational Learning

For those who are parents of Gen Z children, the lesson to be learned is that your children are already likely more open and authentic than you when it comes to mental health.

For this reason, it's important to listen to them when they talk to you about their mental health concerns rather than to brush these off or change the subject. Gen Z is used to talking openly about their mental health, and they need their parents to follow suit.

Screen Time Is Connection

Although some from the older generations might equate screen time with isolation and loneliness, Gen Z utilizes screen time to make connections and feel less alone.

Other generations could learn from this in terms of broadening their perspective of what constitutes friendship or connection. Did you have a pen pal growing up? In the digital era, pen pals have moved online. Don't discount the importance of online connections in an increasingly digital world.

No Limitations

Previous generations to Gen Z may have used their mental health or mental illness as a reason for being limited in life.

Other generations could learn that treating mental health isn't showing your weakness; rather, it's building your strength.

Open Communication

Gen Z is used to talking openly about their mental health, and other generations could learn from this. Open communication among families, between parents and kids, and among generations will mean less adults with emotional baggage.

What's more, talking openly about mental health can help to inform the younger generation of what to expect in their own lives. Knowing that a family member has struggled with a particular issue could help them to communicate with doctors about their own risk. Keeping mental health in the shadows helps no one.

Active In Treatment

Finally, Gen Z has taught other generations that being active in your own treatment and recovery is critical for managing stress and moving toward getting what you want out of life. Rather than avoiding the problem, facing it and finding help is the best strategy for managing mental health.

A Word From Verywell

Each generation's perspective is rooted in the environment in which they were raised. Regardless of how much stress Gen Z continually seems to endure, it's true that every generation has had their own type of stress and dealt with it in their own way. Change is necessary to evolve to a better way of living, and this change is inevitable. Regardless of what generation you belong to, keep your eyes and ears open so that you can keep current. What might feel wrong to you today, could be the norm tomorrow. As they say, the only thing constant is that there will be change.

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Why Gen Z Is More Open to Talking About Their Mental Health

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Generation Z refers to the generation born roughly between the years 1997 and 2012. They are the first generation to be completely raised with the Internet and smartphones, and have grown up with a very different experience of the world than previous generations.

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'Mental toughness is the secret to success' | BBC Ideas

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To build on the emerging evidence base from our internal evaluations, Save the Children sought funding from the Nuffield Foundation to partner with NFER and Queens University Belfast to undertake an independent randomised controlled trial and implementation evaluation of Families Connect.

This was designed to build on previous promising findings, to strengthen our understanding of the programme's impact on parent and child outcomes and identify where the programme could be strengthened and improved, along with continual delivery feedback and review.

Our aim was to advance our collective understanding, as a sector, of how best to support parental engagement and children's early learning.

Thirty-one schools from disadvantaged areas across the UK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland) delivered Families Connect as part of the independent evaluation. A total of 499 children aged four to six from 483 families took part.

The evaluation found that Families Connect increases parental engagement in children's learning, improves parental skills, and improves aspects of children's social and emotional development.

We have produced a briefing document to accompany the full report, which provides an overview of the evaluation findings and sets out our approach for developing Families Connect and priorities for future research, policy and practice.

You can view the full report and the executive summary.
Lord, P., Rennie, C., Smith, R., Gildea, A., Tang, S., Miani, G., Styles, B. and Bradley, C. (2020). Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluation of Families Connect. NFER, Slough.  Save the Children would like to thank the Nuffield Foundation and all those who conducted the evaluation and compiled the report at NFER and Queen's University Belfast. The project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation. Visit www.nuffieldfoundation.org.

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Families Connect - Learning Together | Save the Children UK

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To build on the emerging evidence base from our internal evaluations, Save the Children sought funding from the Nuffield Foundation to partner with NFER and Queens University Belfast to undertake an independent randomised controlled trial and implementation evaluation of Families Connect.

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The experiences we have early in our lives and particularly in our early childhoods have a huge impact on how we grow and develop, our physical and mental health, and our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Two important factors to think about when considering our mental wellbeing, are the quality of our attachment relationships and our experience of ACEs.

What is Attachment?

Attachment refers to the pattern of the relationships we have had with our parents or carers early in our lives. It is the emotional bond that forms between a parent and child from birth and has a huge impact on our development. The way a parent or carer responds to their child will impact on the child's attachment style. This attachment style becomes a template for how we build future relationships with others in our lives, and also a template of how we feel about ourselves and other people. If we have experienced a relationship with a parent or carer which has been positive, we will develop a positive template for other relationships as well as positive feelings about ourselves and others. But sometimes how children are cared for is not so positive, for various reasons, and this can make it harder for people to make and maintain positive relationships in the future, manage their feelings and behaviour, or feel good about themselves or others. When our early attachments have been negative and these lead us to go on to have difficulties with relationships and our mental wellbeing, this can sometimes be described as attachment difficulties.

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences?

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are "highly stressful, and potentially traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and/or adolescence. They can be a single event, or prolonged threats to, and breaches of, the young person's safety, security, trust or bodily integrity." (Young Minds, 2018).

Examples of ACEs:

Physical abuse

Sexual Abuse

Emotional Abuse

Living with someone who abused drugs

Living with someone who abused alcohol

Exposure to domestic violence

Living with someone who has gone to prison

Living with someone with serious mental illness

Losing a parent through divorce, death or abandonment

How Common are ACEs?

In a 2014 UK study on ACEs, 47% of people experienced at least one ACE with 9% of the population having 4+ ACES (Bellis et al, 2014).

Impact of ACEs

Just like attachment, experiencing ACEs can have an impact on our future physical and mental health, and often ACEs can be barriers to healthy attachment relationships forming for children. Some of the effects of ACEs on our physical and mental health are:

An increase in the risk of certain health problems in adulthood, such as cancer and heart disease, as well as increasing the risk of mental health difficulties, violence and becoming a victim of violence.

An increase in the risk of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. 1 in 3 diagnosed mental health conditions in adulthood directly relate to ACEs.

The longer an individual experiences an ACE and the more ACEs someone experiences, the bigger the impact it will have on their development and their health.

Some of the other things exposure to ACEs can impact, are:

The ability to recognise and manage different emotions.

The capacity to make and keep healthy friendships and other relationships.

The ability to manage behaviour in school settings.

Difficulties coping with emotions safely without causing harm to self or others.

CAMHS support

Not everyone who has experienced ACEs, or has experienced some difficulties in their attachments may need CAMHS support. But, CAMHS can offer advice and support in a number of ways to help children and young people manage some of the impacts of ACEs, or after having difficulties within early attachment relationships.

Because ACEs affect everyone differently, CAMHS professionals will always complete an assessment to try and find out what has happened to you and how it is affecting you so that the right support can be arranged.

Sometimes CAMHS will work with parents or carers to think about how they can support their child to cope with what has happened and provide healthier care to help their child develop. CAMHS may also provide family therapy or other ways of working together with parents and children together. Finally, it can also sometimes be useful for children and young people to have their own support, and CAMHS may offer a range of different types of therapy or support, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which helps with anxiety, depression and trauma amongst other things, or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) which also helps with trauma. However, the young person may need other support first to help them learn ways to cope with or manage strong feelings or other difficulties, or to help them spend time building up trust with the CAMHS professional. We can also help link young people up with other local community services, if this is what they want.

What can I / my carers do to help me?

Parents and carers have a responsibility to keep children and young people safe from harm and sometimes need support themselves to protect families from ACEs. Seeking to learn about and adopt healthy caring styles can make a big difference.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Attachment - Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

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The experiences we have early in our lives and particularly in our early childhoods have a huge impact on how we grow and develop, our physical and mental health, and our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Two important factors to think about when considering our mental wellbeing, are the quality of our attachment relationships and our [...]

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Introduction

Guidance on protecting d/Deaf and disabled children and young people from abuse

We all have a responsibility to keep all children and young people safe. A child having a disability, being d/Deaf or needing additional support should never stop someone acting on child protection concerns.

We're using the term 'disabled children' to refer to children and young people with a range of very different conditions and identities, some of whom may not identify as being disabled. This includes children who:

are d/Deaf

are on the autistic spectrum

have a condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

have a learning disability

have a physical disability such as cerebral palsy

have visual impairment

have a long-term illness.

Children and young people may use different language to describe themselves and their needs. You should ask what terms they would prefer and use these when talking to them.

Children and young people who have disabilities are at an increased risk of being abused compared with their non-disabled peers (Jones et al, 2012) and are also less likely to receive the protection and support they need when they have been abused (Taylor et al, 2014).

Professionals sometimes have difficulty identifying safeguarding concerns when working with d/Deaf and disabled children (NSPCC, 2016).

It's vital that everyone who works with d/Deaf and disabled children understands how to protect them against people who would take advantage of their increased vulnerability.
> Find out more about safeguarding children with special educational needs

Risk and vulnerability factors

Who is at most risk of abuse?

Disabled children at greatest risk of abuse are those with behaviour or conduct disorders. Other high-risk groups include:

children with learning difficulties/disabilities

children with speech and language difficulties

children with health-related conditions

d/Deaf children

(Miller and Brown, 2014).

Why are disabled children at greater risk of abuse?

There are several factors that contribute to disabled children and young people being at a greater risk of abuse.

Communication barriers

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (including those who are d/Deaf, or have a learning disability or physical disability) face extra barriers when it comes to sharing their worries and concerns.

Adults may have difficulty understanding a child's speech so they may not realise when a child is trying to tell them about abuse.

Adults may not have the knowledge and skills to communicate non-verbally with a child, which can make it harder for children to share their thoughts and feelings.

Communicating solely with parents or carers may pose a risk if the child is being abused by their parent or carer.

It can be difficult to teach messages about what abuse is or how to keep safe to children with communication needs. Without this knowledge children may not recognise that they are being abused or won't know how to describe what's happening to them.

Misunderstanding the signs of abuse

It's not always easy to spot the signs of abuse. In some cases, adults may mistake the indicators of abuse for signs of a child's disability.

A child experiencing abuse or attempting to disclose abuse may self-harm or display inappropriate sexual behaviour or other repetitive and challenging behaviours. If this is misinterpreted as part of a child's disability or health condition rather than an indicator of abuse, it can prevent adults from taking action.

Injuries such as bruising may not raise the same level of concern as they would if seen on a non-disabled child. Adults may assume that bruising was self-inflicted or caused by disability equipment or problems with mobility.

Lack of education on staying safe

Personal safety programmes and relationships and sex education (RSE) are not always made accessible to d/Deaf and disabled children, and not always taught in special schools. This can be for a number of reasons:

teachers may not realise they need to teach RSE to children with disabilities

parents and professionals may think young people with learning disabilities shouldn't have relationships or sex

teachers may feel they need more training about how to deliver RSE to children with disabilities

school governors may not approve RSE being taught in a different, more accessible way

the school may prioritise other subjects over RSE

sex and relationships education may not be taught in a way that makes sense to young people with learning disabilities

(Garbutt et al, 2010).

As a result, a disabled child may not know how to recognise abuse or who to tell.
> Find out more about sex and relationships education for children with special educational needs
Increased isolation

Disabled children may have less contact with other people than non-disabled children, because they have:

(Franklin, 2016).

This means they have fewer people to turn to if they need help or support.

They may be further isolated if they:

need carers to take them out

have restricted independence because they use a wheelchair or require a sign language interpreter

live away from home at a residential school.

Disabled children and their families may have limited access to support systems. Support may not be available due to lack of funding or it may not be appropriate for the child's physical, emotional or cultural needs. This can make it difficult for parents to provide the care their child needs and add to the pressure of caring for a disabled child.

Dependency on others

Children with disabilities may have regular contact with a wide network of carers and other adults for practical assistance in daily living including personal intimate care. This can increase the opportunity for an abusive adult to be alone with a child.

If a child is abused by a carer they rely on, they may be more reluctant to disclose abuse for fear that the support service will stop.

Caring for a child with little or no support can put families under stress. This can make it difficult for parents to provide the care their child needs and can lead to a child being abused or neglected.

Inadequate support

It can be difficult for any child who has experienced abuse to get the support they need, but disabled children may face extra problems.

Intersectionality

Taking an intersectional approach

d/Deaf and disabled children, like all children, have diverse identities. As well as experiencing prejudice or bias related to their disability, they might experience challenges relating to other parts of their identity, such as:

ethnicity

sexuality

gender

mental health

having been in care

where they live, how much money they have and how much access they have to education.

The way these challenges interact is known as intersectionality.

It can be difficult for children to cope with this, and it can have a negative impact on their welfare.

"I have ADHD and have been diagnosed with depression. I've been having a hard time at school, which has got worse since I came out as gay. The guys who bully me do it in the playground and online in the evenings when I'm trying to relax. When I get stressed, I make sudden movements and shout out things, which I can't control. Sometimes I also hurt myself when I act like this."
Childline counselling session with a boy aged 14 > Listen to our podcast episode on intersectionality in social work practice
Learning for practitioners: understanding the child

When you're working with a child, consider all the factors that might influence their safety and wellbeing. Take the time to get to know them, understand their lived experience and how they might face risks due to how others might perceive their identity.

You could consider creating safe spaces for children who have similar identities or come from the same community. This might help them talk about their experiences and get peer support.

Find out more about:

Safeguarding policies and procedures

Safeguarding policies and procedures

The needs of all children with a disability should be incorporated into safeguarding policies and procedures.

Safeguarding policy statements should:
> Find out more about writing a safeguarding policy
Intimate care

Children with certain disabilities or medical issues may need help and support with intimate personal care including going to the toilet and washing.
> Find out more about providing safe intimate care
Medication

Some children and young people with disabilities may need medication. Schools and residential care settings should have a policy in place on administering medication.

A medication policy should cover:

You can find specific guidance on administering medication in different settings in the legislation and guidance tab.

Where appropriate, children and young people should be encouraged to take responsibility for their own healthcare, including administering medication.
> Read more about assessing children and young people's competency
Training

Everyone working with children should receive regular child protection training.

Training should highlight the reasons disabled children are at increased risk of abuse and neglect and why additional safeguards are needed to protect them.

It should provide guidance on what to look out for and how to respond early to the needs of disabled children.
> Take our Safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children training > Find out more about how our specialist consultants can provide support to your organisation > Discover how often child protection training should be refreshed in each UK nation

Direct work

Direct work

Assessment

In any assessment of a disabled child professionals should assess all the needs of the child and their family, not just those related to the child's disability.

Professionals should ensure that parents understand and are supported to meet the additional needs of caring for a disabled child.

Professionals across all agencies should be aware of safeguarding issues for disabled children.

Professionals should be aware of the range of services available to families and disabled children. Families and children should be referred to these services accordingly (NSPCC, 2016).

Best practice

Learning from case reviews about disabled children emphasises the importance of child focused practice, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to supporting disabled children and their families (NSPCC, 2016).
> See the learning from case review briefing
Listening to the child

Make sure the child's voice is heard. Where there are safeguarding concerns, speak to children alone and don't use parents as interpreters.

If a child's disability means verbal communication is difficult or impossible, make every attempt to communicate by other means.

Consider how a child may communicate through their actions. Consider whether distressed or disruptive behaviour is due to the child's disability or if the child is upset for another reason.

Tailor tools and resources to the child's needs. Check that the child has understood what you've told them and is able to apply it - don't make assumptions about what they have understood.

Information sharing

Professionals should have a shared understanding of the nature of a child's disability, the services their family are receiving and the risk of harm. This information should be used by all agencies to distinguish between disability and child protection issues.

Interagency cooperation

Specialist disabled children services should be embedded within wider support services and children and families.

Every family should be designated a lead professional to coordinate work across services and provide a single point of contact (NSPCC, 2016).

Communication

Every child and family is different and has their own complexities and needs.

As part of assessing a family's needs it's essential to establish a d/Deaf or disabled child's preferred method of communication. They may use:

British Sign Language (BSL)

Makaton

Widgit

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

some signs with speech

speech, lip reading and gestures.

Establish how the child communicates with their family and others. Find out if there are any trusted adults that the child or young person communicates directly with. This could be:

another member of the family

a teacher

a youth club leader.

There is no 'ideal' way to facilitate communication between safeguarding professionals and d/Deaf and disabled children and young people.

Consider whether a child protection assessment or discussion is better with or without a third party. Would the child rather communicate directly with a trusted individual or have a third party in the room?

Reflect on your own language limitations and don't assume you can communicate "well enough". Even when a child can use spoken language this may not be the method of communication they're most comfortable with.

Find out about parents' preferred communication method. Parents need to be given every opportunity to communicate in their own language.

Always prioritise the child's strengths, requirements and needs, regardless of whether you're working with an interpreter or not.

Working with British Sign Language interpreters

Discuss the need for a British Sign Language interpreter with the child and their family and make sure one is found as soon as possible if needed.

It's likely that sign language interpreters will be more familiar with d/Deaf culture than safeguarding practitioners. Their cultural knowledge can help you gain optimal understanding of a situation and encourage children and families to open up.

Sign language interpreters are highly skilled professionals, but may not be used to working in safeguarding and child protection situations. You should meet with the interpreter in advance to help them understand the issues and make sure they are able to explain all the necessary concepts to the child and their family.
Schools
Staff and volunteers in schools should be aware of the additional vulnerabilities children with disabilities or special educational needs face and understand their responsibilities for keeping children safe. Teachers and other school staff should also work to empower children and help them feel able to speak out if they have any worries.
> Read more about empowering children with special educational needs and disabilities

Legislation and guidance

Legislation on safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children

Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in education, community and care sectors to safeguard all children from all forms of abuse and neglect.

The statutory guidance in all nations includes sections on safeguarding disabled children and young people. Find out more about child protection in:

See also Key guidance for schools in the UK.

Key legislation and guidance

The key legislation relating to the safeguarding of d/Deaf and disabled children in England is the Children and Families Act 2014. Part 3 establishes help for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including a single assessment process and personal budgets.

Under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, local authorities in England must also safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need. A child in need is a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have the opportunity to achieve or maintain, a reasonable standard of health and development without any support provided by a public authority. This may include having a disability.

In Northern Ireland, The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 sets out how children in need and their families are supported, including giving information about the assessment of carers of disabled children.

In Scotland, Sections 23 and 24 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 refer specifically to disabled children. The Act requires local authorities to give disabled children the opportunity to lead lives which are "as normal as possible". It also requires local authorities to promote the welfare of children in need.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on supporting disabled children, young people and their families. This guidance includes information and advice on disabled children's rights, supporting their mental health and wellbeing and child protection (Scottish Government, 2019).

In Wales, Section 15 of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 requires local authorities to minimise the effects of disabilities on disabled people.

The Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 embeds the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Welsh law, including giving disabled children the right to protection, participation and service provision.
> Read more about the legislation and guidance relating to children with special educational needs
Discrimination

In England, Scotland and Wales, the Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination against disabled people, requiring service providers to make sure their service is accessible for disabled people to the same standards as non-disabled people.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 provides protection from discrimination against disabled people in Northern Ireland. Schedule 8 prohibits discrimination against disabled people relating to goods and services.

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between disabled and non-disabled people.

Medical care and health conditions

There is guidance on administering medication and providing medical care for schools and residential settings in each UK nation.

In England mainstream schools should follow the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE, 2015b). There is separate guidance for residential special schools (DFE, 2015a) and children's homes (DfE, 2015c).

Schools in Northern Ireland should follow Supporting pupils with medication needs (DoE and DHSSPS, 2009). Children's homes must meet the Minimum standards (DHSSPS, 2014).

In Scotland, the key guidance relating to medication in schools is Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools (Scottish Government, 2017). There is a section on medication in the National care standards for children's homes (Scottish Government, 2011).

In Wales, schools should follow Supporting learners with healthcare needs (Welsh Government, 2017). There are National minimum standards covering medication for residential special schools (Welsh Government, 2003) and children's homes (Welsh Government, 2002).

Special measures for disabled child witnesses

Across all four nations in the UK, there are statutory 'special measures' that can be used for the purpose of taking evidence from a vulnerable witness, including disabled children.

These include:

screening the witnesses from the accused

giving evidence by live link

giving evidence in private.

If a young witness is disabled, they may have particular difficulties attending court and giving evidence.

In England and Wales, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 introduced a range of measures to help children in these circumstances. Section 16 specifies the grounds on which a child may be eligible for assistance.

The Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 makes provision for assistance such as communication for witnesses who are disabled. The Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 raised the maximum age for eligibility for assistance from 17 to 18.

The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 defines and outlines the provisions for vulnerable witnesses in Section 1.
> Sign up to CASPAR to stay up-to-date with new legislation and guidance

References and resources

References and resources

References

Department for Education (DfE) (2015a) Residential special schools: national minimum standards (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department for Education (DfE) (2015b) Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions: statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of academies in England (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department for Education (DfE) (2015c) Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards. London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2014) Minimum standards for children's homes (PDF). Belfast: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).

Department of Education (DoE) and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2009). Supporting pupils with medication needs (PDF). Bangor: Department of Education (DoE).

Franklin, A. (2016) Friendship opportunities for disabled children and young people. Coventry: Children and Families Research, Coventry University.

Garbutt, R. et al (2010) Final report: talking about sex and relationships: the views of young people with learning disabilities (PDF). Leeds: CHANGE.

Hershkowitz, I. Lamb, M.E. and Horowitz, D. (2007) Victimization of children with disabilities. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(4): 629-635.

Jones, L. et al (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.The Lancet, 380(9845): 899-907.

Miller, D. and Brown, J. (2014) 'We have the right to be safe': protecting disabled children from abuse. London: NSPCC.

NSPCC (2016) Deaf and disabled children: learning from case reviews. London: NSPCC.

Scottish Government (2019) Supporting disabled children, young people and their families: guidance. [Accessed 08/04/2021].

Scottish Government (2017) Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools: guidance for NHS boards, education authorities and schools (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Scottish Government (2011) National care standards: care homes for children and young people. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Taylor, J. et al (2014) An investigation into the relationship between professional practice, child protection and disability (PDF). Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.

Welsh Assembly Government (2003) National minimum standards for residential special schools (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.

Welsh Assembly Government (2002) National minimum standards for children's homes (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.

Welsh Government (2017) Supporting learners with healthcare needs: guidance (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online or read on the Childline website:

You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Further reading

For further reading about disabled children, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keywords "children with disabilities"; "children with multiple disabilities"; "children with physical disabilities"; "deafness"; "safeguarding".
> Find out more about the Library and Information Service
Related NSPCC resources

Read our leaflets specifically for d/Deaf adults on recognising and reporting concerns if a child is being bullied or abused:

Our summary of learning for improved practice from case reviews working with d/Deaf and disabled children provides several key findings.

Introduction

Guidance on protecting d/Deaf and disabled children and young people from abuse

We all have a responsibility to keep all children and young people safe. A child having a disability, being d/Deaf or needing additional support should never stop someone acting on child protection concerns.

We're using the term 'disabled children' to refer to children and young people with a range of very different conditions and identities, some of whom may not identify as being disabled. This includes children who:

are d/Deaf

are on the autistic spectrum

have a condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

have a learning disability

have a physical disability such as cerebral palsy

have visual impairment

have a long-term illness.

Children and young people may use different language to describe themselves and their needs. You should ask what terms they would prefer and use these when talking to them.

Children and young people who have disabilities are at an increased risk of being abused compared with their non-disabled peers (Jones et al, 2012) and are also less likely to receive the protection and support they need when they have been abused (Taylor et al, 2014).

Professionals sometimes have difficulty identifying safeguarding concerns when working with d/Deaf and disabled children (NSPCC, 2016).

It's vital that everyone who works with d/Deaf and disabled children understands how to protect them against people who would take advantage of their increased vulnerability.
> Find out more about safeguarding children with special educational needs

Risk and vulnerability factors

Who is at most risk of abuse?

Disabled children at greatest risk of abuse are those with behaviour or conduct disorders. Other high-risk groups include:

children with learning difficulties/disabilities

children with speech and language difficulties

children with health-related conditions

d/Deaf children

(Miller and Brown, 2014).

Why are disabled children at greater risk of abuse?

There are several factors that contribute to disabled children and young people being at a greater risk of abuse.

Communication barriers

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (including those who are d/Deaf, or have a learning disability or physical disability) face extra barriers when it comes to sharing their worries and concerns.

Adults may have difficulty understanding a child's speech so they may not realise when a child is trying to tell them about abuse.

Adults may not have the knowledge and skills to communicate non-verbally with a child, which can make it harder for children to share their thoughts and feelings.

Communicating solely with parents or carers may pose a risk if the child is being abused by their parent or carer.

It can be difficult to teach messages about what abuse is or how to keep safe to children with communication needs. Without this knowledge children may not recognise that they are being abused or won't know how to describe what's happening to them.

Misunderstanding the signs of abuse

It's not always easy to spot the signs of abuse. In some cases, adults may mistake the indicators of abuse for signs of a child's disability.

A child experiencing abuse or attempting to disclose abuse may self-harm or display inappropriate sexual behaviour or other repetitive and challenging behaviours. If this is misinterpreted as part of a child's disability or health condition rather than an indicator of abuse, it can prevent adults from taking action.

Injuries such as bruising may not raise the same level of concern as they would if seen on a non-disabled child. Adults may assume that bruising was self-inflicted or caused by disability equipment or problems with mobility.

Lack of education on staying safe

Personal safety programmes and relationships and sex education (RSE) are not always made accessible to d/Deaf and disabled children, and not always taught in special schools. This can be for a number of reasons:

teachers may not realise they need to teach RSE to children with disabilities

parents and professionals may think young people with learning disabilities shouldn't have relationships or sex

teachers may feel they need more training about how to deliver RSE to children with disabilities

school governors may not approve RSE being taught in a different, more accessible way

the school may prioritise other subjects over RSE

sex and relationships education may not be taught in a way that makes sense to young people with learning disabilities

(Garbutt et al, 2010).

As a result, a disabled child may not know how to recognise abuse or who to tell.
> Find out more about sex and relationships education for children with special educational needs
Increased isolation

Disabled children may have less contact with other people than non-disabled children, because they have:

(Franklin, 2016).

This means they have fewer people to turn to if they need help or support.

They may be further isolated if they:

need carers to take them out

have restricted independence because they use a wheelchair or require a sign language interpreter

live away from home at a residential school.

Disabled children and their families may have limited access to support systems. Support may not be available due to lack of funding or it may not be appropriate for the child's physical, emotional or cultural needs. This can make it difficult for parents to provide the care their child needs and add to the pressure of caring for a disabled child.

Dependency on others

Children with disabilities may have regular contact with a wide network of carers and other adults for practical assistance in daily living including personal intimate care. This can increase the opportunity for an abusive adult to be alone with a child.

If a child is abused by a carer they rely on, they may be more reluctant to disclose abuse for fear that the support service will stop.

Caring for a child with little or no support can put families under stress. This can make it difficult for parents to provide the care their child needs and can lead to a child being abused or neglected.

Inadequate support

It can be difficult for any child who has experienced abuse to get the support they need, but disabled children may face extra problems.

Intersectionality

Taking an intersectional approach

d/Deaf and disabled children, like all children, have diverse identities. As well as experiencing prejudice or bias related to their disability, they might experience challenges relating to other parts of their identity, such as:

ethnicity

sexuality

gender

mental health

having been in care

where they live, how much money they have and how much access they have to education.

The way these challenges interact is known as intersectionality.

It can be difficult for children to cope with this, and it can have a negative impact on their welfare.

"I have ADHD and have been diagnosed with depression. I've been having a hard time at school, which has got worse since I came out as gay. The guys who bully me do it in the playground and online in the evenings when I'm trying to relax. When I get stressed, I make sudden movements and shout out things, which I can't control. Sometimes I also hurt myself when I act like this."
Childline counselling session with a boy aged 14 > Listen to our podcast episode on intersectionality in social work practice
Learning for practitioners: understanding the child

When you're working with a child, consider all the factors that might influence their safety and wellbeing. Take the time to get to know them, understand their lived experience and how they might face risks due to how others might perceive their identity.

You could consider creating safe spaces for children who have similar identities or come from the same community. This might help them talk about their experiences and get peer support.

Find out more about:

Safeguarding policies and procedures

Safeguarding policies and procedures

The needs of all children with a disability should be incorporated into safeguarding policies and procedures.

Safeguarding policy statements should:
> Find out more about writing a safeguarding policy
Intimate care

Children with certain disabilities or medical issues may need help and support with intimate personal care including going to the toilet and washing.
> Find out more about providing safe intimate care
Medication

Some children and young people with disabilities may need medication. Schools and residential care settings should have a policy in place on administering medication.

A medication policy should cover:

You can find specific guidance on administering medication in different settings in the legislation and guidance tab.

Where appropriate, children and young people should be encouraged to take responsibility for their own healthcare, including administering medication.
> Read more about assessing children and young people's competency
Training

Everyone working with children should receive regular child protection training.

Training should highlight the reasons disabled children are at increased risk of abuse and neglect and why additional safeguards are needed to protect them.

It should provide guidance on what to look out for and how to respond early to the needs of disabled children.
> Take our Safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children training > Find out more about how our specialist consultants can provide support to your organisation > Discover how often child protection training should be refreshed in each UK nation

Direct work

Direct work

Assessment

In any assessment of a disabled child professionals should assess all the needs of the child and their family, not just those related to the child's disability.

Professionals should ensure that parents understand and are supported to meet the additional needs of caring for a disabled child.

Professionals across all agencies should be aware of safeguarding issues for disabled children.

Professionals should be aware of the range of services available to families and disabled children. Families and children should be referred to these services accordingly (NSPCC, 2016).

Best practice

Learning from case reviews about disabled children emphasises the importance of child focused practice, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to supporting disabled children and their families (NSPCC, 2016).
> See the learning from case review briefing
Listening to the child

Make sure the child's voice is heard. Where there are safeguarding concerns, speak to children alone and don't use parents as interpreters.

If a child's disability means verbal communication is difficult or impossible, make every attempt to communicate by other means.

Consider how a child may communicate through their actions. Consider whether distressed or disruptive behaviour is due to the child's disability or if the child is upset for another reason.

Tailor tools and resources to the child's needs. Check that the child has understood what you've told them and is able to apply it - don't make assumptions about what they have understood.

Information sharing

Professionals should have a shared understanding of the nature of a child's disability, the services their family are receiving and the risk of harm. This information should be used by all agencies to distinguish between disability and child protection issues.

Interagency cooperation

Specialist disabled children services should be embedded within wider support services and children and families.

Every family should be designated a lead professional to coordinate work across services and provide a single point of contact (NSPCC, 2016).

Communication

Every child and family is different and has their own complexities and needs.

As part of assessing a family's needs it's essential to establish a d/Deaf or disabled child's preferred method of communication. They may use:

British Sign Language (BSL)

Makaton

Widgit

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

some signs with speech

speech, lip reading and gestures.

Establish how the child communicates with their family and others. Find out if there are any trusted adults that the child or young person communicates directly with. This could be:

another member of the family

a teacher

a youth club leader.

There is no 'ideal' way to facilitate communication between safeguarding professionals and d/Deaf and disabled children and young people.

Consider whether a child protection assessment or discussion is better with or without a third party. Would the child rather communicate directly with a trusted individual or have a third party in the room?

Reflect on your own language limitations and don't assume you can communicate "well enough". Even when a child can use spoken language this may not be the method of communication they're most comfortable with.

Find out about parents' preferred communication method. Parents need to be given every opportunity to communicate in their own language.

Always prioritise the child's strengths, requirements and needs, regardless of whether you're working with an interpreter or not.

Working with British Sign Language interpreters

Discuss the need for a British Sign Language interpreter with the child and their family and make sure one is found as soon as possible if needed.

It's likely that sign language interpreters will be more familiar with d/Deaf culture than safeguarding practitioners. Their cultural knowledge can help you gain optimal understanding of a situation and encourage children and families to open up.

Sign language interpreters are highly skilled professionals, but may not be used to working in safeguarding and child protection situations. You should meet with the interpreter in advance to help them understand the issues and make sure they are able to explain all the necessary concepts to the child and their family.
Schools
Staff and volunteers in schools should be aware of the additional vulnerabilities children with disabilities or special educational needs face and understand their responsibilities for keeping children safe. Teachers and other school staff should also work to empower children and help them feel able to speak out if they have any worries.
> Read more about empowering children with special educational needs and disabilities

Legislation and guidance

Legislation on safeguarding d/Deaf and disabled children

Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in education, community and care sectors to safeguard all children from all forms of abuse and neglect.

The statutory guidance in all nations includes sections on safeguarding disabled children and young people. Find out more about child protection in:

See also Key guidance for schools in the UK.

Key legislation and guidance

The key legislation relating to the safeguarding of d/Deaf and disabled children in England is the Children and Families Act 2014. Part 3 establishes help for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including a single assessment process and personal budgets.

Under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, local authorities in England must also safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need. A child in need is a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have the opportunity to achieve or maintain, a reasonable standard of health and development without any support provided by a public authority. This may include having a disability.

In Northern Ireland, The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 sets out how children in need and their families are supported, including giving information about the assessment of carers of disabled children.

In Scotland, Sections 23 and 24 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 refer specifically to disabled children. The Act requires local authorities to give disabled children the opportunity to lead lives which are "as normal as possible". It also requires local authorities to promote the welfare of children in need.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on supporting disabled children, young people and their families. This guidance includes information and advice on disabled children's rights, supporting their mental health and wellbeing and child protection (Scottish Government, 2019).

In Wales, Section 15 of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 requires local authorities to minimise the effects of disabilities on disabled people.

The Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 embeds the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Welsh law, including giving disabled children the right to protection, participation and service provision.
> Read more about the legislation and guidance relating to children with special educational needs
Discrimination

In England, Scotland and Wales, the Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination against disabled people, requiring service providers to make sure their service is accessible for disabled people to the same standards as non-disabled people.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 provides protection from discrimination against disabled people in Northern Ireland. Schedule 8 prohibits discrimination against disabled people relating to goods and services.

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities to promote equality of opportunity between disabled and non-disabled people.

Medical care and health conditions

There is guidance on administering medication and providing medical care for schools and residential settings in each UK nation.

In England mainstream schools should follow the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE, 2015b). There is separate guidance for residential special schools (DFE, 2015a) and children's homes (DfE, 2015c).

Schools in Northern Ireland should follow Supporting pupils with medication needs (DoE and DHSSPS, 2009). Children's homes must meet the Minimum standards (DHSSPS, 2014).

In Scotland, the key guidance relating to medication in schools is Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools (Scottish Government, 2017). There is a section on medication in the National care standards for children's homes (Scottish Government, 2011).

In Wales, schools should follow Supporting learners with healthcare needs (Welsh Government, 2017). There are National minimum standards covering medication for residential special schools (Welsh Government, 2003) and children's homes (Welsh Government, 2002).

Special measures for disabled child witnesses

Across all four nations in the UK, there are statutory 'special measures' that can be used for the purpose of taking evidence from a vulnerable witness, including disabled children.

These include:

screening the witnesses from the accused

giving evidence by live link

giving evidence in private.

If a young witness is disabled, they may have particular difficulties attending court and giving evidence.

In England and Wales, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 introduced a range of measures to help children in these circumstances. Section 16 specifies the grounds on which a child may be eligible for assistance.

The Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 makes provision for assistance such as communication for witnesses who are disabled. The Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 raised the maximum age for eligibility for assistance from 17 to 18.

The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004 defines and outlines the provisions for vulnerable witnesses in Section 1.
> Sign up to CASPAR to stay up-to-date with new legislation and guidance

References and resources

References and resources

References

Department for Education (DfE) (2015a) Residential special schools: national minimum standards (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department for Education (DfE) (2015b) Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions: statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of academies in England (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department for Education (DfE) (2015c) Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards. London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2014) Minimum standards for children's homes (PDF). Belfast: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).

Department of Education (DoE) and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2009). Supporting pupils with medication needs (PDF). Bangor: Department of Education (DoE).

Franklin, A. (2016) Friendship opportunities for disabled children and young people. Coventry: Children and Families Research, Coventry University.

Garbutt, R. et al (2010) Final report: talking about sex and relationships: the views of young people with learning disabilities (PDF). Leeds: CHANGE.

Hershkowitz, I. Lamb, M.E. and Horowitz, D. (2007) Victimization of children with disabilities. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(4): 629-635.

Jones, L. et al (2012) Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.The Lancet, 380(9845): 899-907.

Miller, D. and Brown, J. (2014) 'We have the right to be safe': protecting disabled children from abuse. London: NSPCC.

NSPCC (2016) Deaf and disabled children: learning from case reviews. London: NSPCC.

Scottish Government (2019) Supporting disabled children, young people and their families: guidance. [Accessed 08/04/2021].

Scottish Government (2017) Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools: guidance for NHS boards, education authorities and schools (PDF). Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Scottish Government (2011) National care standards: care homes for children and young people. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Taylor, J. et al (2014) An investigation into the relationship between professional practice, child protection and disability (PDF). Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.

Welsh Assembly Government (2003) National minimum standards for residential special schools (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.

Welsh Assembly Government (2002) National minimum standards for children's homes (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Assembly Government.

Welsh Government (2017) Supporting learners with healthcare needs: guidance (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online or read on the Childline website:

You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Further reading

For further reading about disabled children, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keywords "children with disabilities"; "children with multiple disabilities"; "children with physical disabilities"; "deafness"; "safeguarding".
> Find out more about the Library and Information Service
Related NSPCC resources

Read our leaflets specifically for d/Deaf adults on recognising and reporting concerns if a child is being bullied or abused:

Our summary of learning for improved practice from case reviews working with d/Deaf and disabled children provides several key findings.

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