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  • Identification of Neglect

Identification of Neglect

Child neglect can take many forms. Physical neglect is the failure to provide for a child's basic survival needs, such as nutrition, clothing, shelter, hygiene, and medical care. Physical neglect may also involve inadequate supervision of a child and other forms of reckless disregard of the child's safety and welfare. Educational neglect involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school or to provide appropriate homeschooling or needed special education training. Medical neglect is the failure to provide or to allow needed care as recommended by a competent health-care professional for a physical injury, illness, medical condition, or impairment. It also includes the failure to seek timely and appropriate medical care for a serious health problem that any reasonable person would have recognized as needing professional medical attention. Chronic neglect is any type of child neglect that occurs on a recurring or enduring basis. Below, find resources define and identify the signs and symptoms of physical, educational, medical, and chronic child neglect.

Acts of Omission: An Overview of Child Neglect

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 489KB)
Year Published
2018
Addresses the scope of the problem of child neglect as well as its consequences, reviews definitions and strategies for assessing neglect, presents lessons learned about prevention and intervention, and suggests sources of training and informational support. Strategies for addressing neglect, beginning with prevention, are included.

Child Neglect: Assessment and Intervention
Hornor (2014)
Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 28(2)
Provides information to practitioners to better understand and respond to child neglect. The article discusses risk factors of neglect as well as the medical assessment and plan of care for children when neglect is suspected. 

Chronic Child Neglect

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 359KB)
Year Published
2019
Provides professionals with an overview of chronic child neglect, its implications for child welfare, and casework practice to address it. The bulletin also explores multisystem collaboration and partnerships, evidence-informed interventions, and the importance of hope in combatting chronic neglect. It features examples of State and local efforts to address chronic child neglect.

Chronic School Absenteeism in the Elementary Grades
Sugrue (2015)
Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Examines a truancy intervention program, be@school, designed to address chronic absenteeism for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The materials presented are intended for child protection workers and supervisors working with children who are experiencing chronic absenteeism.

How Can Understanding Risk and Protective Factors Predict Chronic Neglect for CPS-Involved Families?
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Presents a summary of a study that examines the use of risk assessment tools to predict subsequent chronic neglect. Findings showed the strongest predictors of chronic neglect were parent cognitive impairment, history of substitute care, mental health problems in parents, and a higher number of allegations in the first report to child protective services. 

What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
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Versión para imprimir (PDF - 312KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2019
Outlines the legal definition of child abuse and neglect; the different types of abuse and neglect; and the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, including human trafficking. It also includes information on how to effectively identify and report maltreatment and refer children who have been maltreated as well as additional resources.

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