CHILD NEGLECT

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In most cases of neglect, poverty or financial difficulties and drug and / or alcohol abuse are also present – although it doesn’t mean that all poor families or alcoholics are neglectful.

Some experts claim that neglect is the most serious form of abuse when you consider the sheer numbers of children who are harmed, and the severity of the harm caused to the child’s physical and mental health – including death.

Neglect is present in most cases of abuse investigated by Child Protection authorities and is considered to be a good predictor of other forms of abuse. This means that if neglect is substantiated in a household, then there is a likelihood that other forms of abuse will also be identified.

The consequences of neglect for child victims are devastating. Neglect harms children physically and mentally – in the present and for their future. The seriousness of the consequences usually depends on the age of the child when neglected, the length of time neglect continues for, and the severity of the neglect.

We have all heard devastating stories of children dying from neglect  - including children starving to death, or locked in hot cars, left unsupervised near busy roads, pools or in bathtubs, or failing to receive appropriate medical attention. There are many more non fatal cases where children are left with devastating lifelong scars of neglect including substandard education, health issues, emotional and psychological disorders, and social disorders.

Working as an Early Years Educator caring for children, you will be in a position to identify patterns of neglect and ensure that support and assistance for families is obtained early so that you might be able to prevent long term consequences of the neglect, including death.