Working with Large Sibling Group Families
Scope of this chapter
Large families can face unique child protection risks due to the complexity of managing multiple children and the possibility of resource limitations affecting the help that can be offered. These issues include:
- Neglect: With more children to care for, parents or guardians might struggle to meet each child's basic needs, leading to neglect.
- Emotional Abuse: Sibling rivalry and competition for attention can sometimes escalate into emotional abuse.
- Physical Abuse: Stress and frustration from managing a large family can sometimes result in physical abuse.(See: Recognising Abuse and Neglect
- Inadequate Supervision: It can be challenging to supervise multiple children effectively, increasing the risk of accidents or exposure to harmful situations.
- Parents with Mental Health Problems: Parents or guardians might experience mental health issues due to the stress of managing a large family, which can impact their ability to provide a safe environment.
- Substance Misuse: Financial and emotional stress can lead to substance misuse, which can further endanger children.
- Domestic Abuse: High levels of stress and conflict can increase the risk of domestic abuse, affecting the safety and well-being of children.
- Poverty: Since 2017, parents with a third or subsequent child are no longer eligible for support through child tax credit or universal credit.
These issues are not specific to larger families, but the number of children in the home is an additional factor that needs to be considered in risk assessments.
For the purposes of this guidance, a large sibling group refers to 5 or more children. There is no statutory or agreed practice definition of what constitutes a large family.
Amendment
This chapter was added to the manual in July 2025.
Family size can influence the risk of abuse and neglect in various ways:
- Cognitive and Behavioural Impact: Studies have shown that children in larger families may experience lower cognitive achievement and more behavioural problems. This is partly due to the reduced time and resources parents can devote to each child.
- Parental Stress and Resources: Larger families often face greater financial and emotional stress, which can increase the risk of neglect and abuse. Parents may struggle to meet the needs of all their children, especially if they have limited support.
- Family Structure: The presence of additional children can strain family dynamics and resources. Single-parent households or families with a high number of children are at a higher risk of experiencing domestic violence and child maltreatment.
- Socioeconomic Factors: Economic stress is a significant risk factor for domestic violence. Families with more children may face greater financial challenges, which can exacerbate stress and lead to higher instances of abuse.
- Extended Family and Community Support: The presence of extended family or strong community support can mitigate some of the risks associated with larger family sizes. These support systems can provide additional resources and emotional support, reducing the likelihood of neglect and abuse.
There is no statutory definition of a large family, in Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City this would usually be defined as 5 children or more, although this judgement would be affected by the ability of the parents to care for their children and the differing needs of the siblings.
Whether a child can thrive as part of a large family can heavily depend on the personalities of its members. For example, an introverted child might feel more connected in a smaller family, as they may struggle with feeling unheard in a larger, potentially chaotic environment. Conversely, a more outgoing, confident, and resilient child might thrive with numerous siblings, enjoying the constant activity and companionship.
Similarly, the personalities of the parents significantly influence how well a large family functions. Managing many children can be exhausting, especially when the children have different interests and personalities, or require additional care due to disabilities. Parents may become so occupied that they have little time for each other, as well as their children. However, some parents may excel at multitasking and find joy in managing a bustling household.
Practitioners should undertake individual assessments with the children of the family. It may be helpful to use the relevant Day in my life tools for the children of the family and compare their days.
Further information on specific aspects of safeguarding such as Domestic Abuse, Parents With Mental Health Issues and Parents Who Misuse Substances are available in the Safeguarding Guidance section of the procedures manual.
The benefits of sharing the workload should be considered at the point of allocation and kept under regular review. It is highly likely that other agencies will also be involved and they should be made aware of any case sharing arrangements.
Clarity of communication and coordination of interventions with the family is essential and a mechanism for informal updates as well as formal reviews should be agreed between practitioners.
For those arranging meetings on individual children, consideration must be given as to whether those practitioners involved with the other children in the family are invited to or receive the minutes of the meeting. (see: Child Protection Plans procedure
Key considerations when working with a large family:
- Family Dynamics: Be aware that changes in family structure or sudden events can lead to neglect. Transitions in children's and families' lives can be indicators of potential neglect.
- Parental Challenges: If parents face issues like substance misuse, mental health, or physical health difficulties, conduct a comprehensive family assessment to ensure all children's needs are being met.
- Daily Routines: Use Day in my Life tools for children of different ages to compare their daily experiences.
- Poverty and Neglect: While poverty is linked to neglect, it should not be assumed that financially poor parents will neglect their children. Wealthy families can also neglect their children, particularly emotionally.
- Impact on Children: Focus on how parents' issues affect their children and their parenting, rather than just the issues themselves.
- Parent-Child Relationships: Consider the attachment and relationship between parents and each child.
- Children's Perspectives: Gather and assess the views, wishes, and feelings of all children to understand the impact of neglect on each one.
- Young Carers: Determine if any of the children are acting as young carers.
- Children with Disabilities: Recognize that children with disabilities are at higher risk of neglect, and their needs might be overlooked in larger families.
- Parental Motivations: Some mothers may have more children to fill a void from their own unhappy childhood. This can lead to neglect when the focus shifts from older children to new babies.
There is limited research in the UK on the correlation between the prevalence of abuse and the size of the sibling group.
The primary consideration is to consider the holistic needs of all the children in the family. Although there may be a specific index child, or not all children are subject to a child protection plan, the safest working assumption is that all the children in the family have individual needs that need to be assessed. Group dynamics and the relationship between individual siblings should form part of any assessment.
Documented pitfalls include focusing on the parent's needs above those of the children and overlooking the needs of children who seem to be unaffected.
Last Updated: July 15, 2025
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