Identifying and responding to structural and system drivers of extra-familial harm using a Contextual Safeguarding approach

Manister, Molly; Wroe, Lauren; Adams Elias, Carly

Abstract

As the previous chapter has shown, there is a case to be made for thinking about context beyond physical location and into how inequalities shape the places and spaces where young people spend their time. By exploring how racism, poverty, ableism, sexism and so on structure these contexts, we can gain a fuller understanding of the holistic nature of harm in young people’s lives.

This leads to the question of how to think about, and respond to, structural harm when working with young people harmed in extra-familial contexts. Following on from the previous chapter, this chapter grounds a holistic understanding of harm in extra-familial contexts in the everyday practice of those tasked with responding.

Using two case studies from the Contextual Safeguarding (CS) programme of work, we explore how inequalities have shaped young people’s experiences of harm and how a CS approach has been used to understand and address structural harm as a feature of young people’s contexts. Through these practice examples, we begin to reflect on ways forward for integrating a recognition of inequalities in a CS approach, both in direct work with young people and contexts and through child protection system change work.

By building on theories of structural harm and its real-world application in CS practice, we can then consider how – moving forward – we develop a contextual response to extra-familial harm (EFH) that not only acknowledges structural harm and its impact on context but actively seeks to address it.

Citation

Manister, M., Wroe, L., & Adams Elias, C. (2023). Identifying and responding to structural and system drivers of extra-familial harm using a Contextual Safeguarding approach. In C. Firmin, & J. Lloyd (Eds.), Contextual Safeguarding: The Next Chapter (30-43). Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447366454-008

• Online Publication Date: Jul 12, 2023
• Publication Date: Jul 20, 2023
• Deposit Date: Aug 17, 2023
• Publisher: Policy Press
• Pages: 30-43
• Book Title: Contextual Safeguarding: The Next Chapter
• ISBN: 9781447366454
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447366454-008
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1720300