Focusing on young people
What's Important To Us
In order to support a young person to reach their full potential we need to listen to them, maintain a focus on them and strive to understand them. We need to focus on the young person's strengths and successes, support them and their family to take opportunities to change negative behaviours and guide them towards a more positive future.
The young person's development
We know that adolescence can be a challenging time for many young people. This is a time of change, physically and emotionally; not surprising given that this is the last developmental step before becoming an adult.
Peers are very important to young people, they can often focus on whether their behaviour conforms to their peers - not it's inherent rightness or wrongness. Young people will seek to define themselves as a separate identity from the adults in their life; it is a time when they typically test boundaries, take risks and make decisions which are often contrary to the advice that the adults around them provide (McLaren, 2000).
It is important to consider the impact of abuse and neglect on the young persons development. Studies have found abused and neglected children to be more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, drug use, and mental health problems (Kelley, Thornberry and Smith, 1997). They are also at increased risk of poor mental and emotional health, poor physical health, cognitive difficulties, social difficulties, and abusive behaviour towards their own children (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2008).
Young people who are at increased risk
Young people experiencing difficult family relationships, chaotic living arrangements and/or trauma are more at risk of suicide, self harm and substance abuse (see Suicide risk factors). Because young people who are known to Child Youth and Family often have a complex mix of issues, it is important that we are vigilant and responsive to potential suicide risk.
Young people who have been the victim of abuse (particularly sexual abuse) are more likely to engage in sexual risk taking as they reach adolescence, thereby increasing their changes of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (Johnson, Rew, and Sternglanz, 2006). When working with young people we need to be mindful of their past experiences and the impact that has on their vulnerability to risk taking behaviour.
Young people and resilience
While we often focus on the negative impact of abuse and neglect, chaotic living arrangements and difficult family relations on young people equally we need to take the time to explore the young person's ability to thrive even in the face of negative or adverse experiences. There are a number of individual characteristics that contribute to resilience such as optimism, self-esteem, intelligence, creativity, humour, independence, a sense of belonging, strong cultural identity, the acceptance of peer and other positive influences such as teachers, mentors and role models. Other factors can include the young person's social environment and their access to social supports, education and health care. Many of these things can be encouraged, supported and built on to enhance the young person's wellbeing.
Talk to young people and listen to what they have to say
It is very tempting to talk ‘to' young people and forget to talk ‘with them' and ‘listen' to them. It can be easy for the young persons view to be lost when there are family members and professionals all having their say about what they think the young person needs. It is our job to make sure the young person is at the forefront of everyone's mind and that their needs are focused on so that they are well supported to move forward positively.
Refer to Key Information: Engaging with children and young people and the Three Houses engagement tool for more information.
Use practice tools to help build a picture
When we gather information about the young person and their family we need to think about what all this information means for the young person. The Young Person and Family Consult can help focus our attention on how the family and environmental factors around the young person are impacting on them.
Pay attention to young people who are at higher risk
We know that some young people are more at risk of suicide, self harm and substance abuse than others. We need to pay careful attention to the young person's wellbeing and make sure that we have safety and support systems around them.
The Practice Tools Policy provides you with valuable information to support your focus on the young person's wellbeing.
Pay attention to the particular needs of young women
Young women are particularly vulnerable to:
- Sexual violence while under the influence of alcohol
- Family violence from a partner or other adult in their family
- Working in prostitution, either by choice due to lack of other options or coercion by others
- Abuse due to family cultural or religious beliefs
- Self-image issues and the need for peer acceptance
We need to act quickly to provide these young women with care and protection but there are times when young women living in risky situations will argue that they are making a choice which they are happy with and they resist efforts to remove them from harms way. Breaking this cycle may need to be tackled in small steps; at the pace of the young person. The important thing is not loose focus on the young person, celebrate successes with them and not be discouraged by setbacks. It is important that we do not give up and consider it "too hard".
Consider culture and its impact on the young person
A young person's culture can play a significant part in their sense of belonging, identity and self-worth. Culture can also have an impact on how the young person views the world and their place in it.
We need to take the time to find out what a young person's culture means for them, how it supports them, how it shapes their views about things like gender roles, family violence and family responsibility, and how their cultural identity can be supported to enhance their wellbeing.
Refer to Key Information - Working with Maori, Key Information - Working with Pacific Peoples, and Key Information - Working with migrants for more information and guidance.
Getting to know the young person, their whanau and the people around them is the most valuable thing you can do for the young person.
References
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Johnson, R., Rew, L., & Sternglanz, R. W. (2006). The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and sexual health practices of homeless adolescents. Adolescence, 41(162), 221-234.
Kelley, B.T., Thornberry, T.P., and Smith, C.A. 1997. In the Wake of Childhood Maltreatment. Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
McLaren, K. (2000). Tough is Not Enough - Getting Smart about Crime: A Review of Research of What Works to Reduce Offending By Young People. Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Youth Affairs.
