A few facts
Child neglect is an ongoing failure to provide the right care
and attention to a child's needs, including enough food, clean
clothes, safety and security, warmth and love. Here are some
facts about neglect in the UK:
- Serious neglect can kill
- In the UK, neglect is the most common form of child
abuse
- 1/3 of police and social workers feel
"powerless" to stop it
- 1 million neglected children have parents who
were also victims of childhood neglect
- Neglect can lead
to loneliness, isolation,
low self-esteem and poor
health
The signs of neglect
Neglect can sometimes have obvious signs, though often
it can take years for emotional and psychological symptoms to
become apparent. These are a few signs which could indicate a
child is being neglected:
- A child (under 16) who regularly has to look after
themselves alone
- Regularly not having clean
clothes to wear or enough to eat
- A lack of medical or dental
attention
- Living in dangerous conditions, for example
around drugs
- A child who exhibits anger,
anti-social behaviour, aggression
or self harm