"At risk" as a classification for children means different things in different contexts. As a general rule, regardless of the context, an intervention for at-risk children means adults and/or authorities will get more deeply involved in one or more aspects of the child's life. Unlike the popular use of the word "intervention" in addiction treatment, interventions with at-risk children often involve careful coordination and even mandatory paperwork.
"At-Risk"
According to social worker Sharon Meyer, an "at-risk" child is any child who is in danger of failure or harm without some kind of change in his or her environment. A child might be at risk because of parental irresponsibility, existing or potential drug use, developmental or mental disorders, abuse, academic performance or criminal behavior. This is only a partial list of potential risks. Depending on the context, the reason a child is at risk may influence or even define the type of intervention concerned adults implement.
Parental Involvement Plan
As described by Meyer, this kind of intervention bears the closest resemblance to an addiction intervention. The concerned adults in a child's life get together, in or out of the presence of the child, and develop a plan to keep their communication and behavior around the child consistent and appropriate. If done in an academic or treatment environment, this plan may be written down for later reference.
Behavioral Interventions
When a child's behavior becomes destructive to himself or herself, other children or a learning environment, adults will intervene to stop that behavior. At the most extreme, this intervention relies on legal authority, drug treatment or incarceration to stop the behavior. At the less intrusive end of the spectrum, it means teaching the child new skills through education and counseling.
Legal Interventions
In some cases, notes Meyer, legal interventions are the only recourse for helping at-risk children. This is especially true when the source of risk is the child's parents. Legal interventions can take the form of custodial changes, or in cases of child delinquency, detention or court-ordered treatment. As with most other situations, says classroom teacher Beverlee Brick, legal remedies are so time-consuming and expensive they are best considered a course of last resort.
Rewards
Done correctly, interventions can remove a child from the circumstances which put him or her at risk. According to Daniel Pink in "Drive," behavior is largely a matter of context. If you change a child's context, you change the child's behavior and, ultimately, his or her habits.
Risks
Done incorrectly, an intervention can change a child's context for the worst. An extreme example is a child placed in detention for a relatively minor crime. Where counseling and community service might have helped that child move out of a self-destructive mindset, time in prison instead surrounds the child with people who justify and value criminal behavior.
References
- Sharon Meyer; Social Worker; Bernalillo County
- Beverlee Brick; Elementary School Teacher; Hillsboro, OR
- "Drive"; Daniel Pink; 2008
