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. It may involve a parent or caregiver failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

For signs and symptoms of neglect, please visit the NSPCC website.

NSPCC Core Information - Website and Leaflets

The NSPCC have a free resource for professionals working with children and young people. The NSPCC working in collaboration with the Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health (situated in the School of Medicine at Cardiff University) have undertaken a series of systematic literature reviews on a serious of topics such as physical abuse and neglect. These reviews bring together the best evidence available on a given topic, providing an evidence base for professional decision making.

The findings from these reviews have been concisely summarised in a series of leaflets. These leaflets provide key information for professionals to help inform their assessments and decision making. Please see link below:

• Emotional neglect and emotional abuse in pre-school children

The leaflets are available bilingually and free of charge from the NPSCC.