Children with disabilities are 3.7 times more likely than other children to be abused or neglected. Sometimes this is because of high care needs, increased vulnerability or the range of other factors that affect other children. Parenting children with disabilities comes with additional stresses or challenges, which can heighten the potential for abuse or neglect, especially in the context of a society where there remains much prejudice and barriers to disabled children and their families. Similar factors affect young people experiencing mental health conditions. Professionals can sometimes miss signs of abuse due to the complexity of young people’s needs, an acceptance of things being how they are, or allowing their recognition of the challenges facing parents to cloud their judgement leading to abuse or neglect being under-reported.
Specific Risks for Children with Additional Needs
Children with additional needs (including SEND) are at increased risk of abuse and neglect and sometimes indications of abuse are harder to identify.
Definition
“A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
- has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
- has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.”
Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. The majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on.
Children have a wide range of needs and this section considers children with a formal diagnosis or condition, as well as where issues are apparent but there is no formal diagnosis. These children are at greater risk of abuse or neglect and the barriers to identifying and intervening are also higher. It is therefore important that we maintain an open mind about what we are seeing, and as suggested by Lord Laming, maintain a professional curiosity. For example:
- not accepting that an injury is a result of the needs of the child, but instead consider what other causes there may be and what the evidence suggests.
- considering a behaviour such as self-harm as possibly being indicative of abuse.
- recognising the potential for fabricated or induced illness
It is important that there are also clear lines of communication between all involved in the child’s care so that concerns can be discussed and referred as necessary.
What you can do
Does your child protection policy reflect the additional barriers (both online and offline) faced by children and young people with SEND and supports them to deal with these additional risks (such as bullying or abuse)?
Everyone should ensure the needs of children and young people with SEND are being met and that they feel as safe as their nondisabled peers.
Listen to the child’s voice and non-verbal communication – ensure all children and young people have appropriate ways of disclosing abuse.
Maintain a focus on the child’s emotional needs, experiences, wishes and feelings
Ensure children and young people are aware; if you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 emergency services by SMS, once registered with emergency SMS
Create an environment based on equality and informed choice – help young people think about the issues and attitudes behind children with additional needs.
Some children with disability may be find it more difficult to express their concerns or disclose abuse, however children with disabilities are most likely to turn to a trusted adult they know well for help such as family, friend or teacher.
Ensure young people know the risks – in an age and ability appropriate manner.
Check young people have safe relationships – create the environment where it’s ok to talk even about the most difficult things.
Spot the signs & know what to do – use the checklists above, your safeguarding procedures and be confident in raising missing children as a concern.
Take action – communicate with the child or young person via their preferred method
- remain supportive and nonjudgmental
- any concerns should be raised immediately with the designated safeguarding lead and keep taking action until you know they’re safe
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Join safeguarding network for more information on how to identify safeguarding issues for children with additional needs in schools.
- Training resources for DSLs to use in team meetings
- Reference documents for additional information
- Handout for staff summarising specific risks for children with additional needs
- Quiz to test staff understanding
