Search results for ‘Subject term:"vulnerable children"’ Sort:
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Living with significant harm: a follow-up study: final report for NSPCC
- Authors:
- BRANDON Marian, et al
- Publisher:
- University of East Anglia. Centre for Research on the Child and Family
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 100p.
- Place of publication:
- Norwich
This study found a very high number of children with long-standing conduct problems (46 children, 60 per cent) and with emotional problems (nine children, 12 per cent). These difficulties affected children's lives at home and at school and it was evident that one of the possible consequences of suffering significant harm is social exclusion. An influential finding from the first phase of the study was the extent of domestic violence in the 105 families and its detrimental impact on children. Most of the young people related recent experiences, or vivid memories, of their parents or carers fighting and gave examples of how they coped with this over time. Loss of various kinds and disruption featured in the lives of many of the 77 children. Thirty-two (41 per cent) experienced considerable disruption and 10 of them had moved more than eight times between carers. However, 30 children did experience continuity of care, staying with the same carer (usually their mother) throughout. Of the 105 children 17 (16 per cent) experienced the death of a parent at some point over the eight years of the study. Between 1995-2001, eight of the 77 children we traced lost a parent and three parents' deaths followed many years of dangerous and self-destructive behaviour.
Safeguarding children in the UK: a longitudinal study of services to children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm
- Authors:
- BRANDON Marian, THOBURN June
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 13(4), November 2008, pp.365-377.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper presents findings from a prospective longitudinal study which set out to track the progress of 105 children and young people newly identified as having suffered, or being likely to suffer, significant harm through maltreatment or neglect. Baseline data were collected on these children in four English social services departments. Descriptive data on the services and child outcome data were analysed on all the children between 12 and 18 months later, and on 77 of the young people 8–9 years after concerns were first identified. Forty per cent of the children stayed at home with a parent throughout, while the majority of children experienced either some or considerable disruption to their lives. Fifty-seven per cent experienced further maltreatment or neglect. Some children appear to have made good progress in spite of repeated moves, disruption and re-abuse. The paper examines the pattern of services to children and parents. Factors are explored which appeared to either help or hinder the children's capacity to deal with the stresses and adversities faced over the 8 years. Implications for policy and practice are explored which may be more likely to promote positive outcomes for these high-risk children.
Significance harm and children's experiences of domestic violence
- Authors:
- BRANDON Marian, LEWIS Ann
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Family Social Work, 1(1), January 1996, pp.33-42.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This is the first of two papers concerning children and domestic violence, both of which draw on findings from a Department of Health commissioned study of children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This paper discusses the ways in which children appear to be harmed by witnessing violence between their parents or parental figures. A brief review is offered of the literature concerning the developmental and behavioural effects on children who have lived with domestic violence. Selected findings from the research study are then discussed. Examples are also offered of the way in which professionals overlook, discount or downgrade the harm to the child from this hostility.
The Children Act definition of 'significant harm' - interpretations in practice
- Authors:
- BRANDON Marian, LEWIS Ann, THOBURN June
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 4(1), January 1996, pp.11-20.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Explores the interpretations of the Children Act 1989 definition of 'significant harm'. Pays particular attention to thresholds for intervention introduced by the England and Wales Children Act 1989 and its accompanying guidance and to decisions made at child protection conferences. The findings are linked to those from studies which preceded the Act and to more recent discussions about the relationship between services to children 'in need' and those to children 'in need of protection'. Conclusions are drawn about the adequacy of the Children Act definitions and post Children Act practice for protecting children and for the allocation of resources to those who most need them.