Adultification: a key safeguarding issue

Evidence tells us that black children are less likely to be considered vulnerable, in need of nurture, support and safeguarding. Black boys in particular are more likely to be met with suspicion and harmful perceptions around their level of maturity and behaviours.

Adultification can take many forms, including the use of language and framing around children, which then influences pathways for support. 'Dangerous', 'hard to engage', 'street-wise', 'gang-related', 'difficult', 'aggressive', 'resilient' - without scrutiny these labels stigmatise black children and diminish their innate vulnerability. A lack of professional curiosity and limited reflection creates the conditions of adultification to manifest. When adultification is present, age is not an obvious indicator of vulnerability. 

With increased suspicion and punitive approaches, adultification diminishes the rights of children and replaces vulnerability with culpability. All children can be impacted by adultification but black children are most likely to experience this form of bias. Racism is the core influencing factor at the root of adultification. 

Adultification reduces professional and organisational responsibility to safeguard to safeguard and protect and increases the responsibilisation of children - and is a breach of child safeguarding and equalities legislation and guidance. 

All educational settings and staff are encouraged to develop their learning around adultification and the impact on children - particularly children in your settings who may be more vulnerable to becoming criminalised as a result of their behaviours. It is our collective responsibility to challenge this bias and advocate for the rights of children as part of a commitment to anti-racist practice. 

Watch this helpful animation by the Youth Justice Board on adultification. You may also be interested in this podcast episode where YJB CEO Stephanie Roberts-Bibby speaks to Jahnine Davis from ListenUp to explore the issue of adultification in the youth justice system .