Families Facing Vulnerabilities, with Options:

Families Facing Vulnerabilities, with Options:  

Detailed Suggestions to help Families facing Adversity

By:  Natonya Walton

Children are vulnerable when their family circumstances meet some of the following criterion: (this is not a complete list of circumstances that professionals may consider as vulnerable)

1. If employed, the parents are a part of the working poor economic status.  

2. The family has limited or no staples to carry out life:  lacking food, clothing, shelter, etc.

3. The family has no means of ‘overcoming’ poor economic conditions.

4. The parents may be engaging or willing to engage in risky behaviors that may financially destroy the family.

5. The community has educational opportunities that tend to be negative/schools that may have had a negative impact on the community.

6. The family has the economic means to care for the family but fail to do so.  

7. Being raised by a non-family member while parents spend little or no time with their children (perhaps focusing on their careers or other behaviors that may be negative).

8. The parents fail to instill behaviors that would yield positive citizens.  

From the point at which a family gives birth to their child(ren), the responsibility of rearing the child(ren) falls upon every adult that cares for them.  In the US, there are hundreds of charitable organizations that help families, cities, and states offer positive opportunities for children to overcome negative situations that they may have been exposed to.  Resiliency is defined as the ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change.  The rate at which individuals become resilient following maltreatment tends to be contingent on the type of abuse/vulnerability that they experienced. Young children can be considered vulnerable in negative circumstances within every socio-economic class.  

When children become old enough to enroll in elementary schools, educators evaluate their knowledge.  Children that have been subject to vulnerabilities could have difficulty completing certain tasks.  Educators should consider all the circumstances that could have made children vulnerable, and be ready to instruct and increase the knowledge of each child.  

As the middle class becomes alleviated from the economic structure in our country, the flood gates have swung wide open, releasing children from all communities.  Years ago, children from the lower category of the economic structure were primarily those who ‘needed’ an extra hand.  Today, educators and other professionals work diligently with children, but still qualify for federal food benefits, Medicaid, and other assistance programs.  All communities need local assistance programs to include family centered activities such as growing food together, tutoring children, enjoying games and fun, and many other activities that could bring about a fresh face for their local communities.  

Ultimately, many educators would like to see the term vulnerable have less to do with children’s zip codes, and more to do with the actual needs of young children.  Saving one community at a time, anticipating the needs of children, and providing a wealth of experiences is critical in saving children from the various vulnerabilities that children can face.  

Activities that could be Considered to Counteract Certain Vulnerabilities:

1.  If employed, the parent is a part of the working poor economic status. (An individual could consider additional employment, obtaining a roommate that could help out financially, or most importantly, increasing educational levels could open new opportunities; from a community standpoint, offering community job fairs, health symposiums, and other events that could help increase income)

2.  Limited or no supplies to carry out life:  lacking food, clothing, shelter, etc. (creating a local food pantry could help families suffering from a lack of food.  Clothing and shelter could be additional services offered by the pantry as well.  A local resource center could also help with the clothing and shelter)

3.  No means of ‘overcoming’ poor economic conditions. (becoming affiliated with organizations and companies that offer higher rates of pay, or perhaps a wealthy benefits package that would cover certain expenses for families) 

4.  Engaging and willing to engage in risky behaviors that may financially destroy a family. (joining a support group that could assist families to observe and learn how to use a household budget)

5.  Educational opportunities tend to be negative/schools that may have had a negative impact on the community. (utilizing every opportunity to help local schools achieve greatness… literary, mathematical, scientific, and other means of introducing and offering non-traditional learning opportunities)

6.  Having the economic means to care for the family, but failing to do so.  (Provide financial empowerment to enhance the learning of children per family unit e.g. instead of paying a lease, seek home ownership)

7.  Being raised by a non-family member while parents spend little or no time with their children (perhaps focusing on their careers or having acquired substance abuse). (Instead of allowing a live-in nanny provide primary care for the child/ren, opt in for bath and story time as well as any other activities that would be meaningful to the child/ren.  

8.  Failing to instill behaviors that would yield positive citizens.  (showing children basic tasks that could lead to behaviors exemplifying positive outcomes, e.g. offering