If you have any concerns about a Disabled child, contact Children’s Services Contact Team on 020 7527 7400 or the Disabled Children’s Team on 0207 527 3366.
Safeguarding Disabled Children 7 Minute Briefing
This information is aimed at professionals and volunteers working with children and young people with a range of very different conditions and identities. This includes children who:
are d/Deaf;
have a learning Disability;
have visual impairment;
have a long-term illness;
have a physical Disability such as cerebral palsy;
are neurodiverse, such as being on the autistic spectrum or having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Professionals can sometimes miss the signs of abuse due to the complexity of young people’s needs, an acceptance of things being how they are, or allowing their recognition of the challenges facing parents/carers to cloud their judgement leading to abuse or neglect being under-reported.
We must recognise the individual needs of children with SEND and their additional vulnerability to risks such as bullying (including prejudice-based), neglect, sexual abuse, exploitation and radicalisation, whether on or offline.
Every child has a right to protection from harm. And every group or organisation that works, volunteers or comes into contact with children has a responsibility to keep them safe.
Children and young people who are d/Deaf or have a Disability are at an increased risk of being abused compared with their peers. They are also less likely to receive the protection and support they need when they have been abused.
d/Deaf children and Disabled children are not a homogenous group. As with all children, the environment and circumstances a child is raised in can impact their wellbeing and everyday lives. The child’s specific Disability, condition or identity may also affect the types of risks they are exposed to.
However, there are several overarching factors that contribute to d/Deaf children and Disabled children being at greater risk of abuse.
The Social Model of Disability is a framework that helps us understand disability in a way that promotes inclusion, respect, and empowerment—especially important when safeguarding children.
The Social Model of Disability says that people are disabled not by their impairments or differences, but by the barriers created by society.
These barriers can be:
When safeguarding children, the Social Model helps us:
Instead of asking “What’s wrong with this child?”, the Social Model encourages us to ask:
“What can we change in the environment, attitudes, or systems to support this child better?”
How to Apply it in Practice