Article Safeguarding & Self-Neglect

How adultification leads to black children being treated as criminals

Guardian article exploring the concept of adultification bias and its impact on black children in the UK. It highlights how black children are often perceived as older, less vulnerable, and more culpable than their peers, leading to harsher treatment by authorities such as police and schools. Through case studies and expert commentary, the article demonstrates how racialised stereotypes contribute to systemic failures in safeguarding and the criminalisation of black children.

Resource type
Article
Practice area
Safeguarding & Self-Neglect
Who it is for
Practitioners, Supervisors, Teams, Students & Trainees
Use this when
before an assessment or decision, during supervision, in a team discussion, when dealing with a complex case, after training or learning, for ongoing reference

What this helps with

Guardian article exploring the concept of adultification bias and its impact on black children in the UK. It highlights how black children are often perceived as older, less vulnerable, and more culpable than their peers, leading to harsher treatment by authorities such as police and schools. Through case studies and expert commentary, the article demonstrates how racialised stereotypes contribute to systemic failures in safeguarding and the criminalisation of black children.

What is inside

  • Adultification bias
  • Black children
  • policing
  • safeguarding
  • racial stereotypes
  • discrimination
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