Neglect

The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.  Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.  Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers)
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
• provide suitable education

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs

Working Together 2023

Neglect happens when parents or carers are unable to meet a child's needs. Sometimes this is because they don't have the skills or support they need, and sometimes it's down to problems such as mental health issues, drug and alcohol problems or poverty.  Sometimes it is obvious - where a child is left hungry, dirty or without proper clothing; sometimes it is more difficult to identify, but we know that a lack of proper care has a long-lasting effect on physical and mental wellbeing.

Housing and money worries can put a lot of stress on parents. This can stop them being able to provide the practical and emotional support that children need, which can lead to neglect. It may be that families can be helped with these issues and that in turn will enable them to provide the support that their children need.

You can find out more about different signs of neglect here.

Training available from OSCP

• Responding to the Neglect of 0-11 year olds (Level 3)
• Responding to Adolescent Neglect (Level 3)
• Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) Training for Practitioners (an evidence-based assessment tool that helps practitioners measure the quality of care provided by a parent or carer in meeting their child’s needs, particularly where there are concerns about neglect).

OSCP currently has a subgroup that focusses specifically on neglect, they have developed the Neglect Strategy which can be accessed here.

Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is about protection from violence, abuse and neglect.  It says that Governments must do all they can to ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad treatment by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.

Poverty is a clear risk factor for neglect, there are an estimated 4.3 million children living in poverty, and yet £22.7 million in unclaimed benefits each year. The NSPCC have produced this leaflet which includes help with cutting the cost of keeping warm, a benefits calculator and the offer of a free carbon monoxide alarm for each household.