Safeguarding disabled children in residential settings: what we know and what we don't know

Authors: Paul A.¹; Cawson P.^{1, *}

Source: Child Abuse Review, Volume 11, Number 5, September/October 2002 , pp. 262-281(20)

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract:

Research in America, Canada, Australia and Britain has revealed that disabled children are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Their likelihood of attending residential institutions, their dependency on others for personal care and the lack of opportunities for them to alert others to maltreatment or comprehend the nature of abusive acts all increase levels of risk. Over the last decade, there has been increasing public and professional concern about the abuse of children in residential establishments, resulting in a number of inquiries. However, the abuse of disabled children in residential settings has received little attention. Despite residential schools, care homes and respite care being widely used by disabled children, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the standards of child protection in these establishments. This article explores the research literature revealing the vulnerability of disabled children to abuse when living away from home, what measures can be taken to help protect them and the limitations of available data as a basis for planning child protection measures. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords: disabled children; child protection; residential care; residential schools

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/car.755

Affiliations: 1: Child Protection Research Group, NSPCC, London, UK *

Publication date: 2002-09-01

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