Unit 512 Lead Practice in Promoting the Well-Being and Resilience of Children and Young People

Unit 512 Lead practice in promoting the well-being and resilience of children and young people


"Child well-being and deprivation represent different sides of the same coin. From a child rights perspective well-being can be defined as the resilience of children’s rights and the fulfilment of the opportunity for every child to be all she or he can be. The degree to which this is achieved can be measured in terms of positive child outcomes, whereas negative outcomes and deprivation point to the denial of children’s rights." Bradshaw et al.
Young people's social and emotional well-being is important in its own right but also because it affects their physical health and can determine how well they will do at in life. Good social, emotional and psychological health helps protect young people against emotional and behavioral problems, violence and crime, teenage pregnancy and the misuse of drugs and alcohol (‘Systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions to promote mental well-being in children in primary education’ Adi et al. 2007)

If young people don't have positive outcomes of wellbeing, then they may have low levels of happiness and maybe much less likely to enjoy being at home with their family or career, feel safe when with their friends, or they may not like the way they look and feel positive about their future. Children who are unhappy in this way could possibly be more likely to be victimized.

Resilience is important because young people who are resilient have the ability to adapt despite experiences of significant risk or trauma. If young people are resilient they will be able to cope better with problems, they will have better health and they will be happier and more fulfilled. They will also be less likely to develop emotional problems like depression or anxiety.

“Resilience: qualities which cushion a vulnerable child from the worst effects of adversity in whatever form it takes and which may help a child or young person to cope,...