Mother’s Day this Sunday! It is a day to celebrate and recognize the incredible impact that mothers have on their children’s lives. Many young people are lucky to have an amazing mother, however some young people are not so lucky.
Last Father’s Day, we wrote a blog on the impact on young people living in a fatherless home. Today we will talk about maternal deficits and the impact on young people.
The maternal bond between a mother and child is an essential factor in the development of a child’s emotional and social well-being. Maternal deficit, also known as maternal deprivation, occurs when a child is separated from their mother or when the mother is emotionally absent, leading to negative impacts on a child’s development.
This deficiency can lead to an increased risk of mental health issues and behavioural problems, such as:
– Attachment issues
– Difficulty forming healthy relationships with others
– Difficulty regulating emotions and behaviours
– Depression
– Anxiety
– Increased risk of engaging in criminal behaviour
– Lack of social and emotional skills necessary to navigate complex social situations
– More likely to resort to violence or aggression to solve problems
– Delinquency
In this blog, we will explore the connection between maternal deficit and young people getting involved in youth crime and gangs.
Maternal Deficit and Its Effects on Child Development
Maternal deficit can occur in various ways. In some cases, a mother may be physically absent due to death, illness, or abandonment, while in other cases, the mother may be present but emotionally unavailable due to addiction, mental health issues, or neglect.
When a child experiences maternal deficit, it can lead to feelings of abandonment, rejection, and loneliness, which can impact their emotional and social well-being.
Studies have shown that maternal deficit can have significant negative impacts on a child’s development. A child who experiences maternal deprivation may struggle with attachment issues, leading to difficulty forming healthy relationships with others.
The Connection between Maternal Deficit and Youth Crime and Gangs
The impact of maternal deficit can extend beyond a child’s emotional and social well-being. Young people who experience maternal deprivation are also at an increased risk of engaging in delinquent and criminal behaviour. Without a stable and nurturing maternal figure, young people may turn to other sources for support and guidance, such as peers or gangs.
Research has shown that youth who experience maternal deprivation are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours, such as drug use and gang involvement. Additionally, these young people may lack the social and emotional skills necessary to navigate complex social situations and may resort to violence or aggression to solve problems.
Preventing Maternal Deficit and Supporting At-Risk Youth
Preventing maternal deficiency is essential for promoting the healthy development of young people. Early intervention is key to identifying families at risk of maternal deprivation and providing them with the support they need to promote healthy attachment between mother and child.
In cases where maternal deprivation has already occurred, early intervention and support can help mitigate the negative impacts on the child’s development. This support can include therapy and counselling to help young people develop healthy coping strategies and build positive relationships with peers and adults.
Case Study:
A few years ago I worked as a support worker with exploited young people, I had a client whom we will call John, who had been separated from his mother at a young age. His mother was struggling with addiction and was not able to provide a stable home for John. As a result, John ended up in the care of different family members and experienced multiple placements in the foster care system.
Despite being in a stable and caring environment with his foster parents, John struggled with the effects of maternal deprivation. He had difficulty forming attachments and often exhibited behavioural problems, John began to be exploited by a local gang to run drugs for them. Through my work as a support worker, I worked to build a good relationship with John, as he struggled to build positive relationships with adults, including his foster parents and his relationships with his peers were exploitative. Building an effective relationship with John, helped him to open up to me, and we began to look at what a healthy relationship looks like, where he eventually began to see how he was being exploited by his peers and we developed strategies for building more positive relationships.
What can we do?
As a support worker, it is important to provide a safe and supportive environment for the young person. This can include a stable and nurturing home, as well as access to supportive relationships with caring adults, whether that’s through therapy, mentoring, or other supportive relationships. It’s also important to provide opportunities for the young person to develop their own sense of autonomy and agency, while also providing guidance and support.
Another important strategy is to help the young person build a positive sense of identity and self-worth. This can include helping them to identify their strengths and interests, as well as supporting them in pursuing their goals and aspirations.
We cover the issue and impact of Maternal Deprivation and Attachment theory and take a look more closely at how we can respond as practitioners to issues of Maternal deprivation within our 4th Module: Social Factors that contribute to the development of violent Youth and Gang impacted environments on The Working with Gangs and Serious Youth Violence Course.
