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Educational Neglect

The Department of Health and Human Services' Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3) defines educational neglect as any of the following:

• Permitted chronic truancy—habitual absenteeism from school averaging at least 5 days a month if the parent or guardian is informed of the problem and does not attempt to intervene.
• Failure to enroll or other truancy—failure to register or enroll a child of mandatory school age, causing the child to miss at least 1 month of school, or a pattern of keeping a school-aged child home without valid reasons.
• Inattention to special education need—refusal to allow or failure to obtain recommended remedial education services or neglect in obtaining or following through with treatment for a child's diagnosed learning disorder or other special education need without reasonable cause.

Adapted from J. Goldman, M. K. Salus, D. Wolcott, and K. Y. Kennedy. (2003). A coordinated response to child abuse and neglect: The foundation for practice. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved June 2006 from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanuals/foundation/foundationc.cfm

	Selected Resources Educational Neglect Pearl (2002) View Abstract Discusses causes and indicators of educational neglect, including parent and child behaviors.

Updated on December 7, 2007