Topic 3 Risk VS Protective Factors & Vulnerability
The presence of protective factors can make a child less likely to experience poor outcomes even when risk factors are present. When seeking to reduce the number of children experiencing the harmful effects of vulnerable circumstances or adverse experiences, interventions need to consider building protective factors as well as reducing risk factors. Such protective factors are: family support, improved housing, community resilience and safety.
Protective and risk factors can be categorized in individual, family and community level, some of which are presented below:
- Child maltreatment including emotional, physical and sexual abuse
- Emotional and physical neglect
- Lower educational attainment
- Low self-esteem
- Impaired cognitive development
- Poor physical and mental health
- Poor language and communication skills
- Disability
- School exclusion
- Looked-after children
- Children in the criminal justice system
- Drug and alcohol use
- Good social and emotional skills
- Well-developed cognitive skills
- Positive peer relationships
- Supportive relationships with an adult
- Opportunities to increase self-esteem (including sport and hobbies)
- Resilience – positive outlook
- Aspiration
- Domestic violence
- Substance abuse in household
- Incarcerated household member
- Parental separation or divorce
- Mental illness in household
- Harsh or inconsistent parenting
- Poverty (including unemployment and low income)
- Housing conditions and tenure
- Stable home environment
- Supportive relationships
- Supportive parenting and grand parenting
- Secure attachments with a significant adult outside the home
- Lack of life opportunities
- Lack of social support and/or social isolation
- Violence, including gangs and county lines
- Discrimination and social exclusion including but not limited to factors such as gender, race, sexual orientation and disability
- Unhealthy neighborhood characteristics such as being unsafe; having high vehicle traffic and levels of air pollution; having multiple opportunities for unfavorable health behaviors (such as gambling and fast food); and having poor quality or no green space
- Strong community cohesion and social networks of support
- Vibrant community life with social and cultural activities
- Participation in local decision making and being heard
- Sense of belonging
- Education Healthcare provision
- Youth work provision and a young person having interests such as sport, music, art and other creative activities
- Affordable housing
- Access to healthier, affordable food
- Greener communities and improved access to good quality green spaces
- Healthy streets
