Concerning contemporary policy, discuss emerging theories and principles relating to the vulnerability of children and young people.
Children and young people have been classified as vulnerable individuals in different states in modern society. Research has proved that they are more exposed to risky conditions that threaten their well-being than other groups in the community. Among the risks that children and young people are exposed to are deprivation regarding parental care and education. Some are neglected, exploited, or abused. Additionally, violence in society increases the chances of vulnerability, and hence infections such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are common among this vulnerable group of individuals. When a child is exposed, they are at the risk of missing such vital elements as protection and care. Reasons for children being vulnerable range from aspects of their identity or due to their lack of parental or a family to care for them. Such identifications may include disability, which contributes to the likelihood of violence against children and sexual abuse at some points. Therefore, different research proves that children, unlike adults, are naturally vulnerable hence the need for their protection and plans to guarantee this protection is necessary. Human beings in their adolescent and youth are referred to as young people and are a vital component with regards to the future of any society. Their energetic, curious, and dynamic nature makes them susceptible to risks that threaten their health, social life, or even life.
For this reason, young people are classified as vulnerable and federal governments have developed an interest in the protection of these vulnerable individuals across the world. The word contemporary stands for existing now while a policy refers to any course of action or merely a plan. The contemporary policy is, therefore, the policy of the current time, but neither is it of the past nor the future. This paper aims at examining the emerging theories and principles proposed by the contemporary policy on the vulnerability of both children and young people.
Both children and young people are vulnerable because they possess poor self-image and low self-esteem. Some of the children and young people may run away from their families or relatives based on conflict or peer pressure. When they run away, they become more exposed to more vulnerability than when they are under the protection and care of their families or guardians in general. Despite their location, home or away from home, the level of care they receive, abusers can still identify and exploit their vulnerabilities. The contemporary issue concerning both children and young people is sexual exploitation. This vulnerable group finds it difficult to open up to the relevant authority hence making it difficult to receive the necessary support they need. Society and security authorities work together to identify the warning signs that precede sexual exploitation to minimize the vulnerability of children and young people.
Different policies and principles are emerging to help pin out the conditions that expose children and young people to vulnerabilities. These situations include dysfunctional households, history of abuse, learning disabilities, lack of friends from the same age group, living in residential care, hostels, or gang neighborhood. The Social Risk Management Approach (SRM) adopted by the World Bank in 2000 serves to access, prevent, mitigate, and cope with these risks. The SRM is an example of the development aimed at minimizing the likelihood of children and young people being harmed by unforeseen events. To understand the risks to be mitigated, the household termed as being vulnerable is defined as one that poor ability to guard children and young people from shocks, its negative impact, or help cope with both trauma and its implications when identified.
According to the SRM policies, a downward spiral simplified diagram is used to explain the risks children are exposed to, their prevention, or mitigation. Expulsion of the vulnerable individual or when that individual runs away may resolve some of the risks based on their vulnerabilities. Extreme distress caused by poverty or any other crisis may expose these individuals to hunger; their parents may fall ill or have increased conflict instances in the household. The psychological torture associated may lead to such individuals fleeing or being expelled from such homes exposing them to more risks. When parents cannot cover the costs related to their children’s disability needs, some parents abandon their children or force them to seek alternative channels through which they can cater to their needs. While some of them succeed, the majority are exposed to more risks of vulnerability. Neglect or ignorance is a common occurrence in households whose guardians are alcoholics or drug addicts. Step-parenthood also has the same effect, and hence the vulnerable individuals become a conspicuous target for their abusers. Wars and different forms of natural calamities may lead to the displacement, migration, or vulnerable individuals being refugees in areas that make them direct recipients of any kind of abuse that they would not have experienced if not for the occurrence of such factors. Death of the parents due to health and other factors contribute to these individuals fleeing or being expelled. Some of the latter have a better life than the one they were exposed to, but to some, the situation gets even worse and expose them to different degrees of vulnerability.
Those vulnerable children and young people who run away from their homes or are expelled and seek new homes may find themselves in the streets, markets, car stations, and other public places. Some organizations have been developed by both the government and non-governmental agencies to offer such individuals a home. Some are never lucky and find themselves into brothels, abusive farms, mines, and armed forces undergoing child labor. When the crime was the cause of their parents being imprisoned, these children are forced to accompany their families to jails, other shelters, juvenile or orphanages. Refugees and immigrants may experience inadequate foster care. At the same time, those whose parents die following health complications are left in the hands of caregivers who might be unable to provide for their needs. While they may be traumatized by the deaths of their parents, their current situation adds to their vulnerability, which might be from their elderly relatives.
https://bettercarenetwork.org/sites/default/files/Who%20Are%20the%20Vulnerable%20Children%3F.pdf