Responses to abuse, neglect, and trauma of children with intellectual disability : Kim Simpson, Polly Yeung and Robyn Munford experiences of social workers and health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand
By: Simpson, Kim
.
Contributor(s): Yeung, Polly | Munford, Robyn.
Material type: 
ArticleSeries: Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work.Publisher: Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers, 2022Subject(s): ATTITUDES | CHILD ABUSE | CHILD PROTECTION | CHILDREN | DISABLED PEOPLE | PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES | SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE | NEW ZEALANDOnline resources: DOI: 10.11157/anzswj-vol34iss1id884 (Open access)
In:
Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2022, 34(1): 72-87Summary: Purpose: Children with intellectual disabilities are three to four times more likely to be abused and neglected than their peers without intellectual disabilities. While the Children’s Action Plan and Children’s Act (2014) aim to keep children safe and ensure their needs are met, much of the focus still treats children as a homogenous group with limited reference to children with disability. The current research focused on exploring the experiences and perspectives of social
workers and health practitioners to abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disabilities.
Methods: In 2020, eight participants were first involved in a focus group to provide a wider perspective of practice and policy issues of abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disability. This was followed by a more in-depth exploration and investigation with four experienced social workers to understand the issues and challenges in supporting this cohort of children and to identify what best practices are needed to strengthen service provision.
Findings: Results of the study indicated that, to ensure safety and implement support interventions, practitioners need to be equipped with knowledge about disability and its related
needs. Furthermore, to influence positive and transformative change, a strong relational practice with children with intellectual disabilities, their whānau and family is paramount.
Conclusion: Practitioners are urged to draw on knowledge and skills, such as relational practice, socio-ecological frameworks, human rights and social justice, and advocacy to develop appropriate assessments and interventions to support children with intellectual disabilities and their wellbeing. (Authors' abstract). Record #7717
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Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2022, 34(1): 72-87
Purpose: Children with intellectual disabilities are three to four times more likely to be abused and neglected than their peers without intellectual disabilities. While the Children’s Action Plan and Children’s Act (2014) aim to keep children safe and ensure their needs are met, much of the focus still treats children as a homogenous group with limited reference to children with disability. The current research focused on exploring the experiences and perspectives of social
workers and health practitioners to abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disabilities.
Methods: In 2020, eight participants were first involved in a focus group to provide a wider perspective of practice and policy issues of abuse, neglect, and trauma among children with intellectual disability. This was followed by a more in-depth exploration and investigation with four experienced social workers to understand the issues and challenges in supporting this cohort of children and to identify what best practices are needed to strengthen service provision.
Findings: Results of the study indicated that, to ensure safety and implement support interventions, practitioners need to be equipped with knowledge about disability and its related
needs. Furthermore, to influence positive and transformative change, a strong relational practice with children with intellectual disabilities, their whānau and family is paramount.
Conclusion: Practitioners are urged to draw on knowledge and skills, such as relational practice, socio-ecological frameworks, human rights and social justice, and advocacy to develop appropriate assessments and interventions to support children with intellectual disabilities and their wellbeing. (Authors' abstract). Record #7717
