Why the voices of children and young people go unheard in cases of child abuse and neglect

1. Why the voices of children and young people go unheard in cases of child abuse and neglect Professor Stan Tucker Newman University College Every Child Matters 30th March 2009 Birmingham VSC

2. Listening to Children: the Research Barriers and Challenges; We know from research literature that: Children who are physically and sexually abused often hide theirsituation from others. The ‘stories’ they tell are frequently designed to protect others (family members, siblings, family friends etc). They tell stories to hide the extent of their physical or sexual abuse. They sometimes invent a world very different from their own to enable them to survive. They believe speaking out will precipitate their ‘removal’ from the family home.

3. They think nobody will believe them. Abusers can often be persuasive and manipulative – presenting abuse as a ‘special’ feature of a relationship. Abuse can go on for so long that it begins to feel ‘normal’. Speaking out is difficult whatever the age of the child. The difficulty of disclosure often begins from early experiences in the family.

4. Through my own research into the views of: • Over 100 children who experienced circumstances that have potentially put them ‘at risk’ of abuse and/or neglect. • 23 interviews with adults who were the victims of abuse and/or neglect in their childhood. I am attempting to increase understanding of why children and young people aren’t effectively communicated with in the reporting of abuse and neglect.

5. The research attempted to: • focus on how children and young people look at their own world, their conditions and themselves. • how adults can better understand the perspectives of young people. Involved discussion of emerging data and the construction of the typology of risk with a monitoring group of young people. • All young people involved were between the ages of 18 – 26. • They were located through a variety of groups, projects and by ‘snowball sampling’. • The adults involved came through similar routes.

6. Typology of Disbelief

9. Report to the UN 2007 The United Kingdom’s commitment to implementing the Convention remains unwavering. Since the last report, our commitment to delivery has been reflected by an increased policy focus on children and young people, set in the context of our recognition of our diversity, with genuine devolution within the UK and its overseas territories offering flexibility for different locations to respond to the particular needs of their children and young people, whilst keeping steadfast to the principles of the Convention.’ (Ref; HM Government (July 2007) The Consolidated 3rd and 4th Periodic Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. P5)