Social Work with Children: An Introduction

Content

Introduction
Who is a Child?
Different Perspectives and Approaches of Understanding Child and Childhood
Key Terms and Terminology
Conclusion

Introduction

One of the main areas of social work intervention across the range of practise areas is with children. The youngest members of society are children. They rely heavily on adult care, nurturing, and safety, particularly throughout their formative years. Even though it's generally agreed upon that childhood is a time of joy, learning, and discovery, not all kids actually have joyful childhoods. There are a lot of kids who need care and assistance right now. However, it is crucial to first gain a contextual awareness of the child in order to be able to work with them effectively. Different theoretical views and dimensions of comprehending the kid are covered in the blog post, along with a fundamental understanding of children and childhood. Several key words

Who is a Child?

A child is a young person who has not reached the age of eighteen. This definition is in accordance with the UNCRC, which has been recognised and approved by practically all nations in the world, including India. "A young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of majority," is the definition of the word "child." The infant stage of human development is the youngest. A child's birth can be a time of enormous happiness and delight. The word "child" is also linked to our mental representations of children and our expectations of them. For instance, we typically anticipate young kids to be mischievous, inquisitive, affectionate, naive, and fun-loving. These are primarily traits associated with being a child. Additionally, we have behavioural demands for the child, such that they obey, pay attention to adults, and do their homework. The term "child" also refers to our obligation as adults to provide for the care and nurturing of the youngster.

The age of the child is also another crucial legal consideration. Any young person under the age of 18 is considered a child legally. So, a "kid" is not just a very young or small person. For instance, a young person who is seventeen years old is still a kid and is therefore entitled to child rights and protection. We must comprehend this age aspect because it has additional effects. In Figure 1, As follows:

Some activities that are permissible for adults but not for children due to age restrictions. For instance, young people under the age of eighteen are not permitted to obtain a licence for drinking or driving. Additionally, they are not allowed to vote or be married. This cutoff has been developed in order to provide children with safety measures. Numerous studies have demonstrated that children's maturation, growth, and development occur gradually. So, before a certain age, a youngster could not be quite "ready" for some activities.
Additionally, there are laws pertaining to children that offer protection for kids from crimes including exploitation, abuse, and neglect. For instance, there are laws specifically addressing things like child labour, sex abuse of children, education, and juvenile justice.
When it comes to policies and programmes in crucial areas like immunisation, health, nutrition, education, and other needs specific to children, the age factor also influences whether State interventions are made.

Childhood-A Social Construct

As was already mentioned, there is an age component to the word "kid." All children will primarily go through that chronological process in terms of age and physical development because it is a condition of being in the human life span. The period of a young person's life known as "childhood" is made up of growth, development, experiences, circumstances in life, knowledge, and understanding. For instance, even though we were all once children, our experiences as such may have been similar but not identical. Based on our experiences throughout our formative years, the families into which we were born, our identities, the support we received, the financial or economic resources available, and our own features and characteristics that characterised us, every child's childhood has been unique.

When we say that childhood is a "social construct," we are saying that it is not an innate category. It is a concept that society has developed and accepted as a result of social, cultural, and historical practises. An idea or perception that is "based on the collective views developed and maintained within a society or social group; a social phenomenon or convention originating within and cultivated by society or a particular social group, as opposed to existing inherently or naturally," according to the Oxford Dictionary. Childhood as a stage is thus regarded as a social construct, i.e., society has developed this category of "childhood" as a stage requiring particular care and attention. Additionally, the history of childhood is connected to this. Childhood was not allegedly treated as a separate category in early civilizations. Most of the time, kids were treated like little grownups. Childhood gradually gained a unique status as a result of reform movements, medical advancements, increased child survival rates, a focus on health and education, awareness of child labour exploitation, etc.

Even though our perception of a child is one of innocence and carefreeness, many children's childhoods are not happy ones. Neglect, harsh treatment, abuse, hardship, and discrimination may occur during this time. There are numerous variables that help a youngster develop properly. A child requires care, adoration, nourishment, safety, entertainment, education, and support. Childhood can be a time of stress, worry, and fear in circumstances like poverty, discrimination based on caste, class, region, religion, and/or gender, lack of access to basic services like health and education, domestic violence, conflict in the home or community, harsh punishment, cruelty, and indifference, and ineffective policy and programme implementation. Children are put in a vulnerable position as a result, which has an adverse effect on their present situation as well as possible future prospects. Furthermore, the sociocultural environment also affects how children experience their early years. Children and families, for instance, lack enough role models who have overcome obstacles and emerged from situations such as high rates of school dropout, child labour, or child marriage in certain neighbourhoods or communities. Furthermore, there is a tacit understanding that these social realities will persist in the absence of robust action to successfully address these serious social concerns. Children raised in such neighbourhoods will develop very differently from kids raised in communities where the majority of kids attend school and have loving families.

Childhood is therefore a stage of a child's existence that comprises their environment, daily experiences of living, learning, etc. The experience of childhood is unique to each child and their circumstances, even if the "age" at which someone is considered to be a "child" is mostly constant across children. For instance:

Seema, aged 15 years, has been given away in marriage to Mohit, aged 25 years. Seema takes care of her husband, his family and stays at home. Her ‘childhood’ is very different from that of Ruksana, aged 15 years, who is studying in school, has encouraging parents, and has aspirations of completing higher education
Kumar, aged 8 years is orphaned and growing up in a Residential Care Children’s Home. Kumar lives in the company of 50 other children and one caretaker. Kumar manages all his chores independently. Though he likes the Home, he feels lonely and acutely misses his family who died in a tragic car accident. Kumar’s childhood is very different from that of Shashi, aged 8 years, who stays in a large joint family, and, being the youngest, is lovingly referred to as the ‘baby of the house’
Rani and her twin sister, aged 12 years, beg near a popular religious place in a city which attracts many tourists and pilgrims and buy food with their small earnings. Their father has expired and mother is too ill to work. Every day the two sisters take care of their mother and manage to send their younger brother to attend the nearby school. Their childhood is very different from that of Brij, aged 12 years who works on the farm along with his father in a remote rural hamlet. Brij attends the local school and later helps his father on a small piece of land that they own. Brij’s father has many dreams for his son and hopes to send him to the nearby city for further education.

Different Perspectives and Approaches of Understanding Child and Childhood

To understand children and childhood, social scientists have developed a variety of ideas and methods. As a result of the complexity and variety of human lives, no one theory can adequately explain all of a human being. Each theory or method focuses on a different facet or dimension of human development. While some ideas are explicitly geared at children, others are more general and can be used to comprehend children and childhood. For instance, there are theories pertaining to children's social learning behaviours, moral development, psycho-sexual development, cognitive development, and more.

There are additional ideas and viewpoints that address topics such as how human existence and the environment interact, how circumstances and events affect how people live, how to maximise human potential by emphasising personal strengths rather than weaknesses, etc. Another set of ideas or points of view look at social reality in terms of more fundamental structural problems with oppression, discrimination, and power dynamics that have an impact on people's lives and behaviour. Biology explains human growth, genetic endowments, traits, and the maturation process within the realm of sciences. Based on their area of expertise, the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, law, and critical geography, perceive children and childhood differently.

Therefore, it would be crucial to read some of these approaches in order to comprehend this research issue. The legal approach grants children rights and provides redress mechanisms for when those rights are violated. Regarding the State's commitment to child rights, child protection, budgetary provisions, and the successful execution of laws, plans, and programmes, understanding the political context also becomes crucial. Being an applied social science with a primarily eclectic approach, social work builds its knowledge base by researching various views, laws, and other topics. A theoretical viewpoint enables us to comprehend child and childhood phenomena as well as the connections between the many elements of social reality. Because laws and policies are a reflection of societal realities, they are also affected by this. Our ability to plan and carry out pertinent social work interventions is made possible by all of this integrated knowledge. The most crucial thing to remember is that a child is a thinking young person, not just a passive taker of adult instructions. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that a child does have an opinion, can analyse events, and may contribute significantly to decision-making in an age-appropriate way.

Key Terms and Terminology

Understanding some basic phrases related to social work with at-risk children is crucial. This list is not all-inclusive, therefore students should deepen their understanding. Several key words include:

Vulnerability
Abuse
Marginalization
Ill-treatment/Maltreatment
Violence
Neglect
Exploitation
Child Rights
Child Protection

Conclusion

This blog defined the terms "kid" and "childhood." Every child has a varied childhood, and we need to be aware of their individual circumstances. Numerous theories, viewpoints, and methodologies have been used to analyze this group of young people, or the youngest members of society. The module has also gone into some of the vocabulary and crucial concepts that we should read up on, particularly if we plan to work as social workers with children.

References

Bajpai, A. (2003). Child Rights in India: Law, Policy, and Practice. USA: Oxford University Press
Bhakhry, D. S. (2006). Children in India and their Rights. New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission.
Cherry, K. 2017. Child Development Theories and Examples: Some Key Ideas About How Children Grow and Develop
https://www.verywell.com/child-development-theories-2795068
Deborah J. Johnson, D. L. (2013). Vulnerable Children: Global Challenges in Education, Health, Well-Being, and Child Rights. Springer: New York.
Human Rights Law Network http://www.hrln.org/hrln/child-rights.html
Jenkins, J.P. Child Abuse, https://www.britannica.com/topic/child-abuse