Working with adolescents that have been abused

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Working with adolescents that have been abused

• Julie Robinson
• Rosemount Youth and Family Service
• Marrickville

AFCA Conference 2005
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PhD Study

• PhD at University of NSW
• Counselling adolescents who have been abused
  Complementarities and tensions in the therapeutic
  and protective roles

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PhD Study

• Why study adolescents?
• Few people think of adolescents when think of
  child abuse
• Who protects adolescents from abuse?
• Interested in getting workers opinions, thoughts
  and practice knowledge on this area

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Todays presentation

• Definitions
• Incidence of adolescent abuse
• Consequences
• Meeting the needs of abused adolescents
• Adolescents in the child protection system
• Working with abused adolescents

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Definitions of Adolescent Abuse

• No distinction between child abuse and adolescent
  abuse
• Definitions are based on child abuse definitions
  of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect
  as well as domestic violence
• Do definitions exclude adolescents?

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Defining Adolescents

• Who is seen as an adolescent?
• Depends on who is defining
• Adolescence seen as the transition between
  childhood and maturity
• WHO defines adolescents as a person between 10
  years and 19 years.
• According to WHO 1 in 5 people in the world are
  adolescents

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Defining Adolescents

• How would AFCs define the age of adolescents?
• DoCS makes no reference to adolescents in
  definitions, policies or procedures.
• Distinction is between a child and a young person

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Incidence of Adolescent Abuse

• Hard to get accurate figures
• Most figures based on reported cases
• Definitions may exclude adolescents
• Age breakdowns dont isolate adolescents
• In 2002-2003 there were 198,355 children and
  adolescents reported as abused or neglect. Unable
  to isolate adolescents in this figure
• In Australia there are more children than
  adolescents in substantiated cases of child abuse

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Incidence of Adolescent Abuse

• Suggestion that in studying incidence of
  adolescent abuse needs to look at statistics from
  Juvenile Justice, Health, Ngos and not just
  child protection Stats
• Do these services record adolescent abuse rates?

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Consequences of Abuse

• Effects of abuse on adolescents is well
  documented
• Effects include
• Suicide
• Depression and other mental health Issues
• Academic performance
• Homelessness
• Substance Abuse
• Criminal Behaviour
• Death

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Meeting the needs of abused adolescents

• Requires a range of services that include
  therapeutic and protective roles
• Needs coordination
• Impact of mandatory reporting

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Adolescents in the Child Protection System

• Child protection laws are typically the same for
  children and adolescents regardless of age
• Age is a factor that is used in assessing risk
  and priority
• Is formal child protection system relevant in
  cases of adolescent abuse?

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Working with Abused Adolescents

• Abused adolescents behaviour may bring them to
  attention of services
• Abuse often remains hidden
• Research supports asking about abuse in our
  assessments

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Working with Abused Adolescents

• Abuse may affect an adolescents ability to form
  attachments, their mental, social and
  psychological development which will impact on
  the therapy
• Assessment impacts on therapeutic intervention
• Safety paramount