How to Support Children and Young People According to Their Age
They are many issues in our lives that can have an impact on children/young people, this could be Social factors Illness/disability- this can cause a child/children to miss out on a large chuck of the education and struggle to achieve due to them taking frequent visits to the hospital or that they have to stay at home most of the time. It may cause them to miss out on activities such as sports, which could leave them feeling isolated and full of resentment and may cause them to have behavioural problems.
It can also cause people to misjudged them as lacking intelligence and therefore given challenge, leading to boredom and perceived disruptive behaviour If the child is the carer of parents with illness/disability this can lead to emotional difficulties, they may struggle to understand the role reversal they are experiencing, view themselves as being more mature than their peers which can result in them struggling to form friendships and may become resentful at missing out on the childhood and present challenging behaviour.
They may suffer anxiety whilst away from home and worry about their parents, resulting failure to engage in their education. Poor parental supervision/neglect- children need routine, guidance, love, boundaries, positive discipline etc. Without these they will be constantly in conflict at school because they do not know or understand acceptable boundaries. They may be unaware of dangers they can face in life. They may have distorted view of their own abilities and may believe they are allowed to do what they want because they were never prevented.
They believe they are unloved, unimportant and unvalued and as they grow older this could lead to depression and self harm. Lack of boundaries could result in them becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. Neglect could lead to health problems through malnutrition. They may struggle to form social relationships because of their lack of personal hygiene. Poor clothing could lead to bulling and teasing, causing them to be withdrawn and become isolated. Offending or anti-social behaviour- children who breaks the law may run the risk of being excluded from school or their family being evicted from their social housing accommodation a child could be taken into care for various reasons such as a parent could be imprison, this could cause a child to be emotional stress. The child may perceive the behaviour as normal or acceptable. It may result in them making some bad person choice and would result in them suffering a disruptive education and struggle to form long term stable friendships * Addictions- the impact on addictions can be varied.
They can suffer health problems. If their mother had a drug or alcohol problem during pregnancy. They may suffer from neglect, abuse /violence. If they have younger siblings they may find themselves responsible for their care and therefore may suffer stress and feel isolated. They may feel scared and find it difficult to speak to people for fear of getting in trouble or going into care. They may ultimately find themselves in care if the addiction results in their parents being unable to care for them.
They may become involved in crime to support their family. At school they may be disruptive or withdrawn, have mood swings and outbursts of violence. Bereavement and parent’s separation- this can leave a child feeling very insecure and frightened. They may become quiet and withdrawn. They may become very emotional, clingy and tearful or become violent and abusive. They may feel angry, let down and abandoned. Their work and concentration at school may suffer as a result of any stress and worry they may be feeling. They may suffer poverty as a result of a fall in the household income and also suffer a dramatic change in lifestyle that leave them confused.
Cultural Factors
Religious beliefs and customs- children may have to attend a school associated with their religion, and may therefore receive a less balanced education. They may struggle to understand other people‘s religion or lifestyle choices, especially if it goes against what they are taught. They may become confuse or isolated and struggle to interact with the wider community. They may also experience or witness abuse on the grounds of their religious beliefs and customs, leaving them not only confused and isolated but fearful.
Ethnic beliefs and customs- children may have different form of clothing, customs which could lead to them being teased or bullied. Their culture ma view interaction between men and women, women and women or men and men in a different way and the children will struggle to recognise what is acceptable at school as it differs from home. This could cause them to come into conflict with school rules or to be perceived as a trouble maker.
Economical Factors
Education- children whose parents have had poor education or lack numeracy and literacy skills can or may struggle at school, their parents may show little or no interest in their education and as a result they themselves may also lose interest and starts miss behaving in class or follow in the wrong crowd of friend which will lead to them failing in their education and struggle to get employment as an adult .
Poverty- this can result from low income, unemployment, parental separation, illness or disability, addictions, or criminal activities. Children may suffer malnutrition or a poor diet as a result of their parents being unable to afford quality food. This could result in lack of concentration or poor performance at school. They could also suffer other health related issues. They may be the subject of bullying as a result of their clothing or because they do not have the latest ‘must have’ accessories. They will probably miss out on further education due to the costs involved, or as a result of the need to find employment to help support the family.
Poor housing- One of the side effects of poverty is poor housing. People on low income are often dependent on local authority housing. This may result in overcrowding, for example being housed in a bedsit or home with insufficient bedrooms. This means the child has no privacy, or personal space. They may struggle with homework and course work because of the lack of a quiet space in which to complete it. The housing provided may be of a poor quality – suffering damp or be in disrepair. This could have a detrimental effect on the child’s health – causing asthma or frequent colds and coughs.
It will probably be in a less desirable area or could be in an area with social disorder problems. This may result in the children becoming isolated, as their parents may be fearful of letting them out to play or they may themselves become involved in anti-social behaviour and criminal activities. Although dealt with separately, many of these factors are interconnected; unemployment or low income can lead to poor housing. Poor housing can lead to health problems, which can lead to frequent school absences.
They will not only affect the child’s present lifestyle and health, but also their future, right through to adulthood. This pattern could then continue into the lives of their children. Without support and intervention, they and their families could find themselves trapped in a cycle of disadvantage. The EYFS states that every child matters and that they should all be given opportunity to achieve the every child matter five learn goals outcome and that practitioners should place emphasises so that they may be able to achieve on every level of the five learning goals.
This means that as professionals that we help and encourage the children to be healthy, by giving them healthy meals/snacks at appropriate times. We encourage the children to drink water. Help them to cope with everyday life such as personal stress, help to build their self esteem. Encourage them in the right direction about their physical, mental, emotional, sexual health and to avoid drug taking.
