Understanding How to Support Positive Outcomes for Children and Young people
Learning outcome 1 – Understand how the social, economic and cultural environment can impact on the outcomes and life chances of children and young people
1. 2.
As a social care worker, part of my role is to understand and be aware of the issues that can have positive and negative influence on the young peoples lives that I support.
Economic Issues –
Poverty can have a huge impact on a Young Persons life. A family living on a low --income or benefits might not be able to provide for their children as they would like or as is necessary. Accommodation may be poor and inadequate, with not enough space or functioning essential home items. Money may not be available to pay the energy bills. The children’s dietary needs may be affected by low income.
The local community in low-income areas may be impoverished. This may lead to a higher crime rate, vandalism of local amenities, reducing the Young Person access to local parks and playgrounds and affecting them being able to play outside of the house at leisure time.
The prospects of a lack of continued higher education after school and fulfilling employment in impoverished areas could affect the Young Persons outlook on life causing fear and insecurities and a lack of motivation.
In some research carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 into the impact of poverty on young children’s experience of school, the key points found from interviewing 220 children aged Four to Eleven as well as parents and teachers were
The level of disadvantage they face determines how most children experience school. Poorer children in the study accepted that they were not going to get the same quality of schooling, or the same outcomes, as better-off children.
Children and parents identified the main costs of school as uniform (including shoes), lunches and school trips. Children in disadvantaged schools were very aware