Conceptual Framework for Understanding Child Vulnerability

This chapter proposes a conceptual framework for understanding child vulnerability as the risk of harm to a child’s well-being. This framework stems from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of child development, Ungar, Ghazinour and Richter’s social-ecological model of resilience, and previous multidisciplinary knowledge on most common vulnerability and resilience factors. It can be considered a step forward from existing risk-centric conceptualisations and previous conceptualisations linking child vulnerability and resilience, as in the proposed framework they are considered a continuum.