The Danger of Adultification – Why Children Aged 16-17 Cannot Be Homeless

In the UK, the legal definition of a child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, guidance points out that even if a child has reached 16 years of age, they are still legally children and should be given the same protection and entitlements as any other child (Department for Education, 2018a). This definition is a critical in underpinning approaches to children’s social care, yet as The Children’s Commissioner highlighted last week, there is an alarming trend seemingly going against this, in that 16–17-year-olds are being considered ‘homeless’ instead of children in need.

According to the Children’s Commissioner’s report excluding UASC young people (where around 90% were accommodated under children’s services), around 4,879 children in the UK aged 16-17 were reported as ‘homeless’ last year, with only 760 of these children being accommodated under section 20 and being deemed as children in care.

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Terminology and The Role of Adultification

The concept of Adultification plays a significant role in this issue and in shaping services approaches to supporting vulnerable young people. The Cambridge Dictionary defines Adultification as “the process or fact of treating or considering a child as if they are an adult, usually in a way that is wrong or harmful” and is especially prevalent in the treatment of older teenage children. It can lead to desensitisation to their needs and rights as a child. If a child aged 15 or below presented as having nowhere to live, they would be considered either neglected or abandoned and in need of protection and care. Labelling children as ‘homeless’ misrepresents their needs as limited to somewhere to live and does not acknowledge the care and support they are entitled to and most importantly deserve. It also does not go far enough in acknowledging the trauma and neglect of leaving a child without a home and is removed from child protection and promoting understanding of parental responsibility until at least the age of 18.

Many young people deemed ‘homeless’ have experienced family breakdown, abuse, neglect, and/or poverty, all of which are forms of trauma that they are navigating alongside being alone. For many this trauma would have started long before the age of 16 and separation from family at this age may be the final step after years of potential missed opportunities to safeguard or protect them from harm. Adultification can lead to these children being put in scenarios that through the lens of child protection we would usually deem unsafe, with other unknown adults, without someone to keep an eye on them or even in accommodation alongside violent offenders or those with substance misuse habits. When corporate parenting responsibilities for those in care were extended in 2017 for support to be provided up to the age of 25, it seems unbalanced that the same services would be comfortable in framing children aged 16-17 as homeless instead of in need.

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No Grey Areas

This October represented the deadline for semi-independent providers proving homes to children aged 16-17 to be registered with Ofsted. A big policy move in recognition of the fact that children under the age of 18 are still children and require care and support. This move however, is currently only reflected in guidance for children in care aged 16-17 meaning that young people pushed into homeless and housing services instead of accepted into children’s services are not covered by this guidance. Now more than ever, this should act as a call for local authorities to ensure they use the guiding principle that children are still children up until the age of 18 and ensure as the Children Commissioner calls for, that they are not deemed to be homeless.

Although housing services may be open to children aged 16-17 we have a personal responsibility to ensure wherever possible they have the support and outcomes of any other child of a similar age, taking a “we can help” instead of “they can help” stance.

It is however important to note that children aged 16-17 do have the right to refuse accommodation under children’s services and to request they are accommodated under the housing guidance. Many Care Experienced young people have shared stories about feeling they were better off alone due to their experiences at home, and later on finding out that they were not really ready for independence and would have benefited from guidance, care and support. For this reason, it is important to ensure children and young people aged 16-17 and without a home are given access to advocacy services that can support them to better understand the options available to them and the risks and benefits of decisions made by them. By taking a position of ‘no closed doors’ young people accommodated by housing and later deciding they do in fact need care and support would be able to return to children’s services to better have their needs met.

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Reframing Terms for Child Centred Practice

We all have a responsibility to avoid language and practices that prematurely push children into adult roles or responsibilities. This includes a conscious effort to recognise the needs and rights of children aged 16-17 as children, not young adults. There are small ways we can actively move away from the unconscious adultification of children aged 16-17, through the language we use, the lens we apply and the personal responsibility we take as corporate parents. In all other services terms are framed with child or young person, bringing focus back to the child at the centre. Terminology such as Children in Need and Without a Home speaks more pointedly to the issues being faced whilst acknowledging the child at the centre of the need.

Redefining our approach to children aged 16–17 in need and without a home is about aligning our approach and practice with the legal definition of a child and ensuring these children get the protection, nurturing and empowerment they deserve enabling them to thrive and transition into adulthood with the foundations of success.

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Please share your thoughts on the latest Children’s Commissioners report which can be found below and how you or your organisation plan to challenge adultification of our children.

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?Homeless 16- and 17-year olds in need of care | Children's Commissioner for England (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk)

Office of The Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza

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?(This article is intended to bring together lived and learned experiences, reflections and perspectives of social work and best practice. It is not intended to represent the views or opinions of any organisation I or those referenced are affiliated with.)