Abstract: The article is devoted to one of the most important problems of our time — children whose behavior contradicts generally accepted social norms and rules, i.e. from the point of view of the risk of their actions in relation to society. The principal probability of leaving a teenager in the "field of deviance" is determined by the presence of risk factors, the essence of which allows us to identify the quality of self-esteem, the level of anxiety, aggressiveness and affillation as criteria for the development of social competence of children at risk. The article discusses the concept of "children at risk", explains the reasons for getting children into the "risk group". Also, the author describes the main value orientations of this group, especially in the development of adolescents included in it.