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Child neglect is a form of child maltreatment. Child neglect can be defined as a deficit in meeting a child’s basic needs. Furthermore, child neglect is the failure to provide basic physical health care, supervision, nutrition, emotional nurturing, education or safe housing. Society generally believes there are necessary behaviors a caregiver must provide a child in order for the child to develop (physically, socially, and emotionally). It is important to note that child neglect is how a child and society perceives the parents’ behavior; it is not how the parent believes they are behaving towards their child (Barnett et al., p. 84). It is important to distinguish between parental failure to provide when options are available and when options are not available. Poverty is often an issue and leads parents to not being able to provide. The circumstances and intentionality must be examined before defining behavior as neglectful. Child neglect is the most frequent form of abuse of children. In 2008, the U.S. state and local child protective services received 3.3 million reports of children being abused or neglected. Seventy-one percent of the children were classified as victims of child neglect (“Child Abuse & Neglect”). Types of Neglect:

There are various types of child neglect. Physical neglect refers to the failure to provide a child with basic necessities of life such as food and clothing. Educational/ developmental neglect is the failure to provide a child with experiences for necessary growth and development, such as not sending a child to school or giving him or her an education, where as emotional neglect is failing to provide emotional support such as emotional security and encouragement. Medical neglect is when caregivers do not meet children’s basic health care needs (Barnett et al, p 90). Effects of Child Neglect

Effects of child neglect can differ depending on the individual and how much treatment is provided, but generally speaking child neglect that occurs in the first two years of a child’s life may be more of an important precursor of childhood aggression compared to later neglect, which may not have as strong a correlation. Children who suffer from neglect most often also have attachment difficulties, cognitive deficits, emotional/ behavioral problems, and physical consequences as a result of neglect. Early neglect has the potential to modify the body’s stress response, specifically cortisol levels (stress hormones) which can cause abnormalities and alter the body’s overall health. Research has shown that there is a relationship between neglect and disturbed patterns of infant-caretaker attachment. If parents lack sensitivity to their baby’s needs, the baby will develop insecure-anxious attachment. The neglectful behavior the child experiences will contribute to their attachment difficulties and formation of relationships in the future, or lack thereof. In addition to biological and social effects, neglect affects intellectual ability and cognitive/academic deficits. Also, children who suffer from child neglect may also suffer from anxiety or impulse-control disorders. Another result of child neglect is what people call “failure to thrive”. Infants who have deficits in growth and abnormal behaviors such as withdrawal, apathy and excessive sleep are failing to thrive, rather than developing to become “healthy” individuals (Barnett et al, p 86).

Who is Reported for Neglecting Children? In terms of who is reported for neglectful behavior, it is most often women. The higher proportion of females reported for neglect may reflect the social attitude that mothers are responsible for meeting the needs of their children. Neglecting parents interact less with their children, engage in less verbal instruction and play behavior, show less affection and are involved in more negative interactions with their children, for example verbal aggression. Often, parents who neglect their children are single parents or disabled mothers who already have to care for themselves, and therefore the child is an additional stress. This additional stress is often neglected. Family size can contribute to child neglect. If a family has several children, they may not be able to give all the children all the basic necessities needed to survive and thrive. Unfortunately, if the family cannot provide for all their children, children can suffer neglect. Family history can play a role in parents’ neglectful behavior. If parents were neglected as children meaning they learned neglectful behavior from their own parents, they often internalize and believe those behaviors to be the “norm”, which results in neglecting their own children (Barnett et al, p 92).

Programs	to Help Child Neglect Decrease Fortunately, there are early intervention programs and treatments for child neglect. In addition to individual, family, group counseling and social support services, behavioral skills training programs exist to eliminate problematic behavior and teach parents “appropriate” parenting behavior. Programs, such as Triple P, a positive parenting program, works with parents whose children have discernable problems. It is a multi-level, parenting and family support strategy (“Triple P”). Neglectful families often experience multiple problems and deficits, lack of knowledge, skills and resources. If parents are educated on “proper” parenting and given the appropriate resources, it could help decrease the amount of child neglect cases.

Works Cited “Child Abuse & Neglect.” Child Welfare Information Gateway. U.S. Department of 	Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. http://www.childwelfare.gov/aboutus.cfm. Barnett, Ola W., Miller-Perrin, Cindy L., Perrin, Robin D. (2011). Family Violence 	across the lifespan. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

“Triple P – Positive Parenting Program.” Web. 02 Mar. 2012. http://www5.triplep.net/