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A reading list of key publications on child protection and children with disabilities.
Prevalence and risk of violence against children with disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Jones, L. et al
Lancet 380 (9845) 2012: 899-907
Gives an overview of research into the prevalence of violence against children with disabilities. Uses findings from 17 studies which took place between 1990 and 2010. Pools findings to give an overall estimate for the level of violence against children with disabilities. Includes separate figures for both sexual and physical violence. Finds massive levels of variation between the studies' estimates. Concludes that, although studies confirm that disabled children are more at risk of violence, a lack of robust evidence means that the true levels of violence are not yet known.
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Sexual abuse of individuals with disabilities: prevention strategies for clinical practice.
McEachern, A. G.
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 21(4) 2012: 386-398
Reviews several studies conducted on the sexual abuse of children and young people with disabilities, with a focus on clinical prevention strategies. Makes recommendations including the need for prevention training programmes for children and adults with disabilities to be regularly implemented by disability services, schools, residential facilities, medical and health providers. Also highlights the importance of conducting sexuality education and personal safety training early and that training programmes should be customised to suit needs based on the disability.
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Protecting disabled children: thematic inspection (PDF).
Manchester: Ofsted, 2012
Ofsted thematic inspection commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of work to protect disabled children and young people at all stages from early support to the identification of and response to child protection concerns. Examines the actions taken (e.g. by local authorities and Local Safeguarding Children Boards)to ensure the protection of disabled children and young people, identifying the key factors which promoted effective protection and the barriers to achieving this. Findings include: low level risks were managed effectively but children who were receiving child in need services often had unidentified child protection needs; and there was often a focus on helping the parents rather than protecting the child.
Child abuse, child protection and disabled children: a review of recent research.
Stalker, K. and McArthur, K.
Child Abuse Review 21(1) 2012: 24-40
Reports on the results of a scoping study that reviewed research about child abuse, child protection and disabled children, published in academic journals between 1996 and 2009. Several studies revealed a strong association between disability and child maltreatment, indicating that disabled children are significantly more likely to experience abuse than their non-disabled peers. Also found evidence that therapeutic services and criminal justice systems often fail to take account of disabled children's needs and their heightened vulnerability. Highlights how very few studies have sought disabled children's own accounts of abuse or safeguarding and that in Britain little is known about what happens to disabled children who have been abused. Concludes that considerable development is required at both policy and practice level to ensure that disabled children's right to protection is upheld.
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Out from the shadows: sexual violence against children with disabilities (PDF).
Ellery, F., Lansdowne G. and Csaky, C.
London: Save the Children, 2011
Looks at sexual violence against children with disabilities. Focuses on evidence from an international literature review and research from four African countries: Burundi, Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania. Looks at the scale of the problem and international measures in place to protect disabled children. Continues with an in-depth examination of the problem in four countries. Issues covered include: treatment of survivors and legal outcomes of reported cases of abuse. Concludes with recommendations for action.
Social care for deaf children and young people: a guide to assessment and child protection investigations for social care practitioners (PDF).
London: National Deaf Children's Society, 2011
Brief guide to help social care practitioners in working with deaf children, young people and their families. Contains practical information relating to access to social care services, assessment and child protection. Outlines key statistics; what social care practitioners should know about deaf children; communicating with deaf people; assessing the needs of deaf children and their families; and child protection investigations and arrangements. Appendices include case studies and information on legislation and national policy.
Research review: safeguarding disabled children.
Osborne, C.
London: Community Care Inform, 2011
Reviews existing knowledge on the safeguarding of disabled children. Discusses evidence suggesting disabled children are more vulnerable to abuse and looks at reasons for heightened risk, including: negative and stereotypical attitudes towards disabled children, a reluctance to challenge carers, a confusion of the signs and symptoms of abuse with those of the child's disability, problems communicating or a failure to consult with disabled children, a lack of access to independent advocacy, and a tendency for disabled children to spend more time living away from home than their non-disabled counterparts. Discusses the failure of the child protection system to fully consult with and support disabled children, the increased chances of disabled children being the victims of bullying, and the limits of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and other personal safety programmes for disabled children. Concludes by discussing how personalisation of support might help empowering disabled children and give them greater choice about the services they use.
Safeguarding deaf and disabled children: a resource for use in training and professional group learning.
NSPCC Triangle
[London]: NSPCC, 2011
Memo Training resource to raise awareness about the additional vulnerability of deaf and disabled children to abuse and neglect, and to help people who work with disabled children find out how they can safeguard them more effectively. DVD includes: a film about why deaf and disabled children are at greater risk of abuse and how to safeguard them; 2 dramatised scenarios; and interviews with professionals reflecting on the films and the issues they raise. CD contains prompt sheets for trainers and handouts. Relevant to professionals in education, health, children's social services, the police and the justice system.
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Research review: the lives of disabled children and their families.
Robinson, C.
London: Community Care Inform, 2011
Review of research, evidence and statistics in relation to children with disabilities. Looks at issues including the prevalence of disability in childhood in the UK, child abuse and disabled children, early intervention and effective family support.
Disabled children: the right to feel safe.
Mepham, S.
Child Care in Practice 16(1) 2010: 19-34
This article explores the fundamental right of disabled children to feel safe and be free from bullying, harassment and abuse. Focuses on Mencap research that shows a very high incidence of bullying of children and young people with a learning disability. Links the high incidence of bullying with the similarly high incidence of abuse of disabled children, and proposes that these should be considered within the context of a safeguarding continuum.
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Disability and child sexual abuse: lessons from survivors' narratives for effective protection, prevention and treatment.
Higgins, M. and Swain, J.
London: Jessica Kingsley, 2010
Examines the ways in which society marginalises, institutionalises and places disabled children in situations of unacceptable risk, and how patterns of service delivery can contribute to the problem. Highlights a range of issues through the accounts of seven disabled people who were sexually abused in childhood.
Child protection and the needs and rights of disabled children and young people: a scoping study. Abridged report (PDF).
McArthur, K. et al
Glasgow: University of Strathclyde, 2010
Aims were to scope current knowledge about child protection and disabled children, to review current social policy and practice. This also involved getting disabled children's views about the child protection system. Illustrates where the child protection system is going wrong for disabled children in the UK, especially Scotland. Looks at whether different types of impairment are associated with specific types of abuse, whether disabled children were more likely to be abused, how demographic variables effect a children's vulnerability, what is known about the professional response to abused disabled children, and analysis of children protection policies across the UK.
Safeguarding disabled children: practice guidance (PDF).
Murray, M. and Osborne, C.
Nottingham: Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), 2009
Guidance aimed at police, teachers, social workers and health workers on how to best safeguard and promote the welfare of disabled children. Provides research and statistical evidence on the abuse of disabled children, and examines why disabled children are more vulnerable to abuse. Looks at the indicators of abuse, and the procedures for investigating allegations of abuse against disabled children. Provides a summary of legislation and policies relevant to protecting disabled children from abuse, and contains information about training and further resources.
Safe: personal safety skills for deaf children.
NSPCC
[London]: NSPCC, 2009
A personal safety skills programme for use with deaf children aged 7 and over, aimed at teachers and other professionals, designed to support school curriculum. Programme uses animations, games, role plays, feeling cards, storyboards and other resources to cover topics deaf children need to keep themselves safe and make informed choices. Topics covered include feelings, relationships, differences, bullying, growing up/sex education, indoor and outdoor personal safety, road safety, safety using internet and mobile phones and who to turn to. DVD-Rom requires Quicktime version 7.
Maltreatment and disabilities: a population-based epidemiological study.
Sullivan, P. M., Knutson, J. F.
Child Abuse and Neglect 24(10) 2000: 1257-1273
Research results suggest that children with disabilities are 3.4 times more likely to be maltreated than non-disabled peers.
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