Childhood Neglect: Identifying Parenting Capacity and Improving Outcomes for Children

1. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 P2 Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect What I need to grow up

2. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Learning outcomes P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 2 To identify concerns about parenting capacity that may contribute to neglect

3. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parents of neglected children Mothers and fathers of neglected children usually LOVE their children; however, they face many social and personal CHALLENGES; and these factors affect their capacity to provide what their children need to the extent that the children suffer, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 3

4. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 What I need from people who look after me Everyday care and help Keeping me safe Being there for me Play, encouragement and fun Guidance, supporting me to make the right choices Knowing what is going to happen and when Understanding my familys background and beliefs P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 4

5. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 My wider world Support from family, friends and other people School Enough money Work opportunities for my family Local resources Comfortable and safe housing Belonging P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 5

6. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Neglect and deprivation In a study of 555 families referred to childrens social care in England about concerns of neglect or emotional abuse of the children: 57% had no wage earner in the household. 59% lived in over-crowded housing conditions. 10% had had 5 or more house moves in the previous 5 years. 47% households headed by a lone parent. 26% of parents and 24% of children had a disability or long term/serious illness. 56% of parents reported high levels of emotional stress. (Thoburn et.al. 2000) P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 6

7. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Socio-economic deprivation ...poverty is not a predictor of neglect: it is a correlate of neglect (DiLenonardi 1993, in Horwarth 2007) The majority of people living in deprived circumstances parent their children effectively, but it is a lot harder. Deprivation can interact with other stress factors resulting in childrens needs not being met adequately. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 7

8. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Research tends to have focused on mothers and has suggested them to: be more likely to be poor be less able to plan be less able to control impulses be less confident about future be less equipped with sense of self-efficacy have psychological and psychosomatic symptoms have had poor educational attainment have a high sense of alienation P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 8

9. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Research tends to have focused on mothers and has suggested them to: struggle to manage money lack emotional maturity be physically and emotionally exhausted experience depression lack of knowledge of childrens developmental needs struggle to meet dependency needs of children experience feelings of apathy and futility. (Giovannoni 1979; Polansky 1981; Mayhall & Norgard 1983; Kadushi 1988; Gaudin 1993; Crittenden 1996; Taylor & Daniel 2005; Horwath 2007; Stevenson 2007) P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 9

10. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Less research on fathers, but they are likely to: be unemployed be a less supportive partner be violent to the mother misuse substances. The man in the household is: more likely to be the non-biological parent less likely to have been in the relationship longer than 5 years. (Coohey 1995; Featherstone 2001) P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 10

11. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Factors associated with neglect that affect parenting capacity Own experiences of adverse parenting. Lack of supportive network/family/other. Learning disability. Maternal depression. Parental psychiatric illness. Parental substance misuse. Abusive relationships with partner/domestic violence. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 11

12. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parental mental ill-health One in four adults will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Of these, between a quarter and a half will be parents. Their dependent children are at greater risk of experiencing health, social and/or psychological problems. Combined issues such as genetic inheritance, social adversity and psychological factors may lead to an increased chance of children experiencing mental health issues. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 12

13. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parental mental ill-health The impact of mental ill health on parental capacity will depend on the parents personality, the type of mental illness, its severity, the treatment given and support provided. Many mental health problems are manifested in intermittent episodes of symptoms. This can result in fluctuations between good and poor parental capacity. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 13

14. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parental substance misuse Children of problem drug users: 200,000-300,000 in England and Wales, this represents 2-3% of children less than 16 years, between 41,000 and 59,000 children in Scotland, this represents about 46% of all children under 16 ( ACMD 2003). Children affected by parental alcohol misuse: between 780,000 and 1.3 million in England and Wales ( Harwin et.al. 2009), between 80,000 100,00 in Scotland ( Scottish Executive 2003). P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 14

15. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parental substance misuse Parents report effects on: providing a daily structure being consistent managing their childrens anger coping with childrens transition into adolescence, especially if it involves experimentation with drugs generally perceiving difficulties rather than positives in childs behaviour. (Coleman and Cassell 1995) P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 15

16. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Domestic abuse 45,796 incidents of domestic abuse recorded in 2005-6. Of these, 87% involved a male perpetrator and female victim 45% of incidents reported to the police over a two-week period had children in the family children were present in 70% of these incidents (with 55% of those witnesses) and 91% of children were referred to the Scottish Childrens Reporter Administration (SCRA). In 2006-7, over 1,060 mothers & children sought refuge from Womens Aid organisations. There were 66,785 non-offence related referrals to SCRA in 2006-7, out of which at least18,004 were for domestic abuse (Scottish Government 2008). P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 16

17. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Domestic abuse The impact on parental capacity can manifest in: lack of emotional warmth emotional unavailability inconsistent or unpredictable care environment pre-occupation with the intimate relationship increased levels of irritability, hostility, rejection and aggression increased risk of parental mental ill-health and substance misuse physical exhaustion and low self-esteem increased likelihood of anxiety and social exclusion.. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 17

18. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Accumulation of risk factors Parenting is increasingly affected as stress factors accumulate A study of the impact of an accumulation of up to 10 risk factors for mothers who misused substances showed that: ..women with five or more risks found parenting more stressful and indicated greater inclination towards abusive and neglectful behaviour, placing their infants at increased risk for poor parenting, abuse and neglect. (Nair et.al. 2003) P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 18

19. Childhood Neglect: Improving Outcomes for Children Presentation P2 Parenting issues Parenting is challenging even in the context of extensive support and sufficient resources. In the context of diminished financial resources, limited opportunities and social isolation, parenting is very demanding. When parents use substances to cope, and/or are living with domestic abuse and mental health problems their capacity to care effectively can be seriously eroded. P2 Identifying when parenting capacity results in neglect 19