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Child Neglect

What Is Child Neglect?

Child neglect occurs when children’s basic needs are not adequately met, resulting in actual or potential harm. Basic needs include adequate food, clothing, education, health care, nurturing and emotional support, and housing. Child neglect is the most common form of maltreatment. Although pervasive and sometimes life threatening, it is often difficult to identify.

There are different types of neglect: (source)

  • Physical neglect: A child’s need for adequate food, clothing, supervision, housing, or protection from the environment is not adequately met.
  • Medical neglect: A child does not receive adequate medical, mental or dental health care.
  •  Supervisory Neglect or Inadequate Supervision: A child receives inappropriate supervision or is exposed to hazards.
  • Educational neglect: A school age child does not receive appropriate educational services, including
    special educational services if needed. Home schooling should not be viewed as educational neglect.
  • Emotional neglect: A child does not receive adequate emotional support, care, or affection.
  • Environmental neglect: A child lives in an unsafe neighborhood, where he/she has limited opportunities or resources and may be exposed to environmental hazards.

There is no single cause of neglect. Instead, there are usually multiple and interacting contributors at child, parent, and community levels. Examples of contributing family risk factors include a child with a disability, and a parent with low intellectual ability or limited knowledge about child development. Community risk factors for child neglect include parental unemployment and lack of community support, as well as burdens associated with poverty. Importantly, positive relationships, including high-quality parenting and care, are protective factors against child neglect.

Prevention

Currently, our understanding of child neglect is limited, however a deeper understanding of the causes of neglect is essential to guide and refine prevention approaches to tackle it.            See more
The CDC provides a number of strategies that aid in reducing or preventing child abuse and neglect. These include strengthening economic support to families, changing social norms to support parents and positive parenting, providing quality care and education early in life, enhancing parenting skills to promote healthy child development, and intervening to lessen immediate and long-term harms.

Impact

The impact of neglect on a child can be very serious, both the short- and the long-term. Neglect can harm a child’s development (e.g. lower self-esteem and less positive peer relationships), as well as social/behavioral problems (e.g., conduct disorder or participation in delinquent behaviors). The degree to which neglect impacts a child depends upon the child’s age; frequency, duration, and severity of neglect; the child/caregiver relationship; and presence of protective factors.                                         See more

Human Road Strategy

Our programs and affiliates network is focused on preventing child physical abuse through several practical solutions for creating the conditions for safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments for all children, families, and communities.

Because Childhood Lasts a Lifetime… We Must Work Together to Keep them Safe!