Single Agency Key Messages NEGLECT

Working Together 2015 ‘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 as a result of maternal substance abuse.’

Overcoming Anxieties There is a distinction between being ‘judgmental’ and ‘making judgements’. In early stages it is not necessary to decide ‘is this neglect?’. Practitioners need to ask themselves what it is that is making them concerned and listen to their own concerns. It is important to organise and analyse information

Calderdale identifies 4 types of neglect Emotional neglect Disorganised neglect Depressed or passive neglect Severe deprivation Each is associated with different effects and implications for intervention (Howe, D (2005) Child Abuse and Neglect, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan) For more information see Assessment of Neglect Toolkit

Reasons why parents neglect children Circumstantial Poverty Particular relationships Lack of skill/knowledge Temporary illness Lack of support Environmental factors Fundamental Lack of parenting capacity Deep seated attitudinal/behavioural/ psychological problems Long term health issues Entrenched problematical drug/ alcohol use Working out what is going on, will help to select the best intervention

Focus on the Child Neglect is to do with relationships and with attachment. It is important to find out what the child means to the parent/carer and how the child makes them feel

Making the link to practice Research tells us to focus on: • Early intervention • Home visiting • Relationship building within families • Being explicit about concerns about neglect • Addressing the complexity of neglect by dealing with more than one issue at a time • Long term approaches • Evidence based programmes

Useful Tools: ‘A Day in the Life…’ - Making sense of the child’s lived experience Child Development Tool 0 to 16 Assessment of Neglect Toolkit Thresholds Tool Access via the CSCB website