Child Neglect


Child Neglect

These pages contain information on Child Neglect which I pulled off the web and from information received from the state. Authors and sight address included when available.

Child Neglect: A Definition

Child neglect refers to the harmful consequences of inadequate, in proper, or otherwise negligent parenting– usually in the form of inadvertent acts of omission. This form of child maltreatment encompasses neglect of the child’s need for safety, for emotional support, for education, or for food, clothing, shelter or hygiene. The family’s financial resources must always be taken into account when assessing this form of victimization.

These types of neglect are: safety/supervision neglect; physical neglect; emotional neglect; educational neglect; abandonment; and medical care neglect.

Safety/supervision neglect

Safety/supervision neglect occurs when a child experienced physical injury due to a lack of adequate supervision. Such incidents present the question of whether the trauma occurred as the result of an unfortunate but legitimate accident or whether it occurred because of outright disregard for the child’s safety. Leaving a young child in a situation without a competent caretaker is, for example, neglect. Another type of “safety neglect” is the allowance of potentially dangerous situations within the child’s environment. Leaving poisons, knives, or medications within a child’s reach is, for example, considered neglectful (Ellerstein, 1981).

There are many forms of emotional neglect, including the use of intentionally abusive language with the child, or failure to seek help for an emotionally troubled child. Emotional neglect also encompasses injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child, as evidence by impairment in his or her ability to function within an age appropriate range, taking into consideration the child’s culture (Davidson and Horowitz, 1981).

Emotional neglect

occurs when a child’s unjustified non-attendance at school exceeds the number of allowable absences set down by staff or local regulations: parents are legally responsible for their children’s attendance at school. In assessing educational neglect, a distinction must be made between legitimate and unjustified absences from school. The number of allowable absences may be exceeded, for example, because of chronic illness

Physical neglect

occurs when a child experiences a chronic lack of adequate food, shelter, or clothing; or when conditions are grossly unhygienic; and the parent’s inability to provide these necessities is not due to lack of financial resources.

Abandonment

or a stated intention not to care for the child, is another form of neglect.
Medical Neglect Assessment Form

Request for Consultation With the Division of Child Protection

re (child’s name):

____________________

DOB: ____/____/____ Mother’s name: ___________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

CNMC unit/room: _____________________ outpatient: ______________________

by (staff name): __________________________________ hospital extension: x_____________

__social worker ___nurse __physician ___other:

date/time of request: ________________________

date of admission: ___/___/___ anticipated discharge date: ___/___/___

medical diagnosis: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Please circle the letter(s) indication the documented reason for referral:

1. Child’s medical/mental health concern(not due to parental lack of financial means)

  1. Parent delays seeking medical, dental, or mental health services for child’s acute condition.
  2. Parent seeks discharge of child against medical advice.
  3. Child is not receiving routine/appropriate medical, dental, or mental health care.
  4. Parent has history of failure to provide routine follow-up care for child.
  5. Child lacks immunizations required by law.
  6. Child has non-organic failure to thrive.
  7. Child is malnourished or emancipated.
  8. Child lacks minimum hygiene.
  9. Other (specify):
2. Home environmental conditions (not due to lack of parental financial means)

  1. Child has insufficient or inappropriate clothing for weather or age.
  2. Child lives in filthy living conditions
  3. Child lives in inadequate or hazardous shelter
  4. Child receives inadequate meals or meals lacking nutritional value
  5. Child is forced to work beyond developmental level, or to beg or steal.
  6. Other (specify):
3. Parental behavior toward child

  1. Pattern of inappropriate interaction is observed
  2. Excessive responsibilities are placed on child, considering his/her maturity, developmental status or age.
  3. Child is not required to attend school
  4. Child is left alone or with inadequate supervision
  5. Parent overtly rejects or shows indifference to child, negatively affecting child’s emotional health and development.
  6. Parent’s mental illness negatively affects care of child
  7. Family discord includes threatening violence between adults or toward child
  8. Drug addiction excessive drinking affects care of child
  9. Parent exposes child to criminal activity at home
  10. Parent fails to protect child from exposure to inappropriate sexual behaviors
  11. Parent’s immaturity affects care of child
  12. Other (specify):
What has already been done to help family resolve potential or actual neglect?


Does the hospital record document specific risk(s) to the child?

Have the parents been interviewed? Yes__ No__

If no, is an interview planned? Yes__ No__

Has the medical condition of the child been discussed with the parents? When and by whom? What was the parental response and understanding?

Does the possible neglect create a life-threatening situation? No __ Yes __ explain:

Does the possible neglect reflect a chronic situation?

No__ Yes __ explain:

Has the lack of parental visitation been explored for plausible causes? (Such as illness, lack of transportation, conflict w/ other responsibilities).

Is a psychiatric screening for the parent(s) indicated?

__ No __ Yes has it been requested?

__ No Yes__ outcome:

Medical/psycho-social follow-up which is indicated for the child(underline):

  1. For well children : immunizations, regular medical supervision and observations, and opportunity for parents to express concerns and receive counsel.
  2. For failure-to-thrive: observations and developmental assessments, regular medical supervision.
  3. For sexual abuse: mental health assessment, medical assessment/treatment.
  4. For physical abuse/neglect: mental health assessment, medical assessment/treatment
  5. Specialty clinic or other:

DCP use

Received by (DCP staff name):____________________________ Date/time:__________________

by form __ by phone__ child previously known to DCP? __ no __ yes

Emotional Abuse: Definitions.

Emotional abuse is a term for child maltreatment which results in impaired psychological growth and development. It includes rejection, intimidation, or humiliation of the child; chaotic, bizarre, or hostile acts producing fear or quilt on the part of the child; lack of nurturance, intimacy, affection, and acceptance; and other actions which damage the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or impair the child’s ability to function within a normal range of behavior. Emotional abuse frequently takes the form of verbal assault – constant belittling, insulting, criticizing and demeaning – which undermines a child’s sense of self-esteem and well-being. It also includes withholding love and affection.

– National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse.

Emotional abuse is “... harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning which is exhibited by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, outward aggressive behavior or a combination of those behaviors. Emotional damage may be demonstrated by a substantial and observable change in behavior, emotional response or cognition that is not within the normal range for the child’s age and stage do development.”
– James Garbarino, PhD, The Erikson Institute.

Psychological Maltreatment:

Types and Severity

+Rejection: Refusal to touch, show affection, acknowledge accomplishments.

  • Mild= isolated incidents
  • Moderate= mor frequent and generalized.
  • Severe= categorical, absolute, frequent

+Terrorizing: Threatening child with extreme, vaguely sinister punishment, stimulating intense fear, creating a climate of unpredictable threat, setting unmeetable expectations and punishment for not meeting them.

  • Mild= use of scare tactics in discipline.
  • Moderate= threatens child’s everyday sense of security
  • Severe= dramatic, mysterious, extraordinary threats.

+Ignoring: Parent psychologically unavailable to the child, preoccupied with self.

  • Mild= lack of sustained attention to the child during contact times such as at meal, after school or work; passive or neglectful.
  • Moderate= prolonged periods of unavailability, a barrier of silence between parent and child.
  • Severe= no interactional access at all, no real emotional involvement between parent and child.

+Isolating: prevent child from taking advantage of normal opportunities for social relations.

Mild= fail to provide normal opportunity for social relations. Moderate= active efforts to avoid social interaction. Severe= thwarts all efforts by child and others to make contact.

+Corrupting: mis-socialize children, reinforced antisocial and/or deviant patterns, especially in aggression, sexuality or substance abuse.

Mild= parents encourage or do not express disapproval of unsuitable behavior. Moderate= reinforcing a child for delinquent behaviors. Severe= creating and sustaining a pattern of behavior that risks permanent social dysfunction.

Quiz!

CONTENTS!