Education Adviser, Claire Steele, discusses adultification and parentification, how they may present in schools and colleges, and the role of teaching professionals in identifying and responding to concerns appropriately…

Safeguarding is a fundamental responsibility for all professionals working with children and young people. We have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of every child.

Under the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children, a child is defined as any individual under the age of 18. While concerns such as neglect, physical abuse and sexual exploitation are widely recognised, more subtle forms of harm can be overlooked.

Adultification, including parentification, represents a form of bias that distorts how some children are perceived. It can result in children being viewed by others, including professionals, as older, more capable or more emotionally resilient than their age and stage of development would indicate.

These assumptions can increase the risk that appropriate safeguarding responses are missed or minimised. Within educational settings, recognising adultification as a safeguarding concern is essential to protecting pupils’ wellbeing and promoting positive outcomes.

Understanding Adultification

Adultification occurs when a child or young person is perceived, expected or treated as more mature than they are. This may involve assumptions that they can manage adult responsibilities, emotional pressures or complex decision-making without sufficient support. Adultification is often subtle and can be rooted in wider societal, cultural or systemic biases.

From a safeguarding perspective, adultification is harmful because it minimises a child’s vulnerability and increases the likelihood that their needs will be overlooked.

There have been high-profile cases in national media where children have been treated differently from their peers by systems such as the criminal justice system due to perceptions of maturity. When a child is described as being “old beyond their years”, professionals may unintentionally reduce protective responses, resulting in missed opportunities for early help or intervention.

Adultification can affect any child; however, it disproportionately impacts children from disadvantaged backgrounds, young carers, those living in poverty or experiencing family instability, and children from racialised or marginalised groups.

Parentification: A Specific Form of Adultification

While adultification can occur across a range of contexts, parentification most commonly takes place within the family environment.

Parentification occurs when a child assumes responsibilities that would typically be expected of an adult. This may include practical tasks such as caring for siblings, managing household responsibilities, administering medication or interpreting for parents. It may also involve emotional parentification, where a child provides emotional support to parents, mediates family conflict or is relied upon as a confidant. In some cases, children may even take on financial responsibility for others.

Concerns arise when these responsibilities become excessive, developmentally inappropriate or sustained over time.

Warning signs include situations where a child’s education, physical health or emotional wellbeing is negatively affected, where they have little choice in the role they are undertaking, and where they feel a sense of responsibility for their family’s stability or welfare.

Clearly, our Young Carers are a group to be thinking of when we discuss parentification – is this happening to children in our care? What are we doing about it?

Why Adultification Is a Safeguarding Issue

These situations must be considered through a safeguarding lens. Adultification places children in positions where their needs are deprioritised. As a form of bias, adultification undermines the fundamental principle that children are entitled to care, protection and developmentally appropriate support.

Children who experience adultification may feel they must cope independently and are therefore less likely to disclose difficulties or harm. They may miss out on key aspects of childhood, including play, friendships and learning opportunities.

Exposure to adult responsibilities, situations or information can contribute to emotional stress, anxiety and long-term wellbeing concerns.

Adultification can also mask other safeguarding issues, such as neglect, domestic abuse or emotional abuse. A child who appears to be coping with life may, in reality, be surviving rather than thriving.

Indicators in Educational Settings

Teaching professionals are well placed to notice early indicators of adultification and parentification. Possible signs to be aware of include:

• Persistent tiredness, lateness or poor attendance
• High levels of anxiety related to home life or concern for siblings
• A child presenting as overly responsible, compliant or controlling
• Difficulties forming or maintaining age-appropriate peer relationships
• Reluctance to participate in enrichment activities, trips or wider school life
• Academic underachievement despite evident ability

Language such as “they’re so mature” or “they’re basically a second parent at home” can unintentionally reinforce harmful expectations.

When such indicators are observed, it is important to pause and reflect. Individual signs in isolation may not necessarily indicate adultification; however, when considered alongside contextual knowledge of a child’s circumstances, they may help to build a fuller picture and raise safeguarding concerns.

The Role of Teaching Professionals

Teaching professionals have a statutory responsibility to safeguard pupils and promote their welfare. This includes:

• Maintaining professional curiosity by questioning why a child is taking on adult roles rather than accepting this as normal
• Listening to the child’s voice, ensuring safe and supportive opportunities for them to share their experiences
• Recording and reporting concerns in line with school safeguarding procedures and in discussion with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Working in partnership with colleagues and external agencies, including contributing to early help or multi-agency support where appropriate

Schools should ensure that staff training includes awareness of adultification and parentification, and their links to safeguarding, emotional wellbeing and equality.

Developing a Culture of Professional Curiosity and Challenge

When adultification or parentification is identified, timely and appropriate responses are essential. Professionals should acknowledge the child’s experiences without reinforcing adult roles or responsibilities. Where possible, pressure should be reduced within the school environment, and appropriate support put in place, such as pastoral provision, counselling or reasonable adjustments.

Concerns should be referred or escalated in line with safeguarding procedures where a child’s welfare may be at risk. It is also important to avoid over-reliance on the child for communication or support relating to their family circumstances. Responses should always be child-centred, trauma-informed and proportionate to the level of need.

Summary

Adultification, including parentification, is a complex but critical safeguarding issue that requires careful recognition and thoughtful response.

Teaching professionals play a pivotal role in identifying children whose apparent maturity may conceal unmet needs or hidden harm. By challenging assumptions, listening attentively and acting in accordance with safeguarding procedures, schools can help ensure that children are supported, protected and able to develop safely.

Safeguarding is not only about responding to visible harm, it is also about recognising the quieter risks that can have a lasting impact on a child’s wellbeing and life chances.

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  About the Author

With over 20 years of experience in primary education, Claire Steele is a respected and committed school leader who has worked across a diverse range of schools and multi-academy trusts. Her previous roles include Assistant Principal, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead. She has also worked extensively with partners to support the delivery of a wide range of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).

Claire is deeply passionate about creating safe, inclusive, and nurturing school environments, where the wellbeing of pupils is at the heart of practice. She brings her extensive knowledge, dedication, and enthusiasm to Services For Education, supporting schools in embedding effective and compassionate safeguarding practices at every level.

Working as part of our team of advisers, Claire delivers high-quality, comprehensive safeguarding training and conducts thorough safeguarding audits in schools. She also champions SEND and equality, ensuring these values are central to all aspects of her work.