The Impact of Adultification on Children
In safeguarding work whether in domestic and sexual abuse, gang exploitation, or youth criminalization there is a silent but profoundly damaging issue at play: adultification. This bias means that some children, particularly those from ethnic minority and marginalized backgrounds, are perceived as more mature than they are. As a result, they are denied the protection and care they need, leading to serious safeguarding failures. While all children deserve safety and support, adultification strips them of their right to be seen and treated as children. Instead of being safeguarded, they are often blamed, criminalized, or ignored at their most vulnerable moments.
What Is Adultification?
Adultification occurs when children are perceived as being older than they are, leading to unrealistic expectations, reduced protection, and harsher punishments. This can manifest in different ways:
- A young Black girl being treated as a woman rather than a child when she discloses sexual abuse.
- A 14-year-old boy being criminalised for gang involvement rather than seen as a victim of exploitation.
- A child from a migrant background being expected to take on adult responsibilities, such as translating for parents or acting as a carer for siblings.
While adultification can affect many children, research shows it disproportionately impacts ethnic minoritized children, who are often perceived as more mature, more resilient, or more responsible for their actions than their White peers.
The term “adultification” has been used in academic and social justice circles for years, but it gained mainstream recognition in 2017 through a groundbreaking study by Georgetown Law’s Centre on Poverty and Inequality. Their report, Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood, found that adults perceive Black girls as needing less nurturing, protection, and comfort than White girls of the same age. Unlike the popular term adulting, which describes young adults taking on responsibilities humorously, adultification is a harmful bias that denies childhood innocence and protection to certain groups of children.
The Impact of Adultification on Vulnerable Young People
- Adultification in Domestic and Sexual Abuse
Children who experience domestic or sexual abuse may struggle to receive the help they need because professionals assume they can handle their situation alone. Girls from ethnic minority backgrounds, in particular, often face victim-blaming due to harmful stereotypes about maturity and sexuality.
Impact:
- Girls are blamed for their own abuse instead of being seen as victims.
- Professionals fail to provide trauma-informed responses.
- Survivors disengage from support services due to stigma.
Example:
A 15-year-old girl reports sexual abuse by an older man, but instead of receiving protection, she is told she “should have known better” or “must have wanted it.” This dismissive attitude reinforces trauma and prevents intervention.
- Adultification in Gang Grooming and Exploitation
Gangs actively target children, knowing they can be manipulated, controlled, and discarded if caught. However, when exploited children are discovered by professionals, they are often treated as criminals rather than victims.
Impact:
- Boys are seen as dangerous rather than vulnerable.
- Girls involved in gangs are assumed to be making choices, even when coerced.
- Parents and communities struggle to get authorities to intervene.
Example:
A 13-year-old boy forced to carry drugs for a gang is arrested, while the adults controlling him remain free. Instead of recognizing him as a victim of modern slavery, the system punishes him for crimes he was coerced into committing.
- Adultification and Youth Criminalisation
Ethnic minority children are disproportionately stopped, searched, excluded from school, and given harsher sentences than their White peers. This is fuelled by racial biases that make young Black boys seem older and more threatening than they are.
Impact:
- Higher rates of school exclusion, leading to increased risk of gang involvement.
- Fewer safeguarding interventions, as professionals assume these children are responsible for their own actions.
- A direct pipeline from childhood exploitation to the criminal justice system.
Example:
A 14-year-old Black boy, wrongly assumed to be older, is treated as an adult in a stop-and-search encounter, leading to excessive force and an arrest. Meanwhile, a White child of the same age in a similar situation might be given a warning and a safeguarding referral.
The Link Between Adultification and Domestic Abuse
Children in homes affected by domestic abuse often experience adultification in different ways:
- Becoming caregivers for siblings or the non-abusive parent.
- Feeling responsible for protecting a parent from an abuser.
- Managing household tasks beyond their developmental level.
- Being seen by professionals as more “resilient” than they actually are.
Why is this dangerous?
- Increased Risk of Grooming and Exploitation – Young people who are treated as adults may be targeted by abusers who recognise their lack of protection and support.
- Overlooked by Professionals – Safeguarding agencies may assume they are “capable” and miss signs of abuse or neglect.
- Internalised Trauma – These children may struggle to express distress, believing they must “handle things” on their own.
- Higher Risk of Criminal Exploitation – Gangs and traffickers often target young people who have had to “grow up fast,” as they are more likely to take risks or feel pressure to provide for their family.
How Professionals Can Safeguard Adultified Children
To break this cycle, professionals, parents, and communities must work together to challenge adultification bias and create safer environments for young people. Here’s how:
Recognise the signs – When working with young people, always ask: Am I treating this child like a child, or am I placing adult expectations on them? Adopt a safeguarding-first approach – Assume vulnerability first, rather than criminal intent. Educate professionals and parents – Training in racial bias, child exploitation, and trauma-informed care is crucial. Support parents – Encourage parents to advocate for their children and challenge biased perceptions. Challenge racial and cultural biases – Children from ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected by adultification in safeguarding, and this must be actively addressed.
Adultification is a hidden but critical issue that has wide reaching consequences for young people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds. To protect children and ensure they are seen for what they are, children who need nurturing, protection, and care .We must actively work to challenge adultification. Only by recognizing the signs and addressing the underlying biases can we create a safer and more supportive environment for all young people, free from the damaging effects of being seen as older than they are.
