Neglect
Neglect is:
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. 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 care-givers); or
- ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Responding to Neglect
If you think neglect is occurring in a family, household or for an individual child or young person you must consider your next course of action.
- Good practice
- Record concerns, conversations and interaction
- Use a chronology
- Assess and review
- Discuss concerns with colleagues and partner agencies
- Discuss concerns with the child, parent / carer and family members as appropriate
- Think Family, Work Family
Local Resources
National Resources
- Working with Child Neglect during the Covid 19 pandemic
- Learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/neglect/
Key Lessons
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