I. Description of the problem. Child neglect is usually defined as parental omissions in care, resulting in actual or potential harm to a child. Child Protective Services (CPS) typically requires evidence of harm, unless the risks are serious (such as when very young children are left home alone). Some states exclude situations attributed to poverty.

An alternative and broader view of neglect is from a child’s perspective, defining neglect as occurring when a child’s basic needs are not adequately met. Basic needs include adequate healthcare, food, clothing, shelter, supervision/protection, emotional support, education, and nurturance. However, it is often difficult to establish at what point any of these needs are “adequately” met and thresholds may be rather arbitrary. Usually, the “neglect” label is applied to clearly worrisome circumstances. Less serious circumstances may still require intervention, perhaps without labeling them as “neglect.”

There are several advantages to this child-focused definition. It fits with the broad goal of ensuring children’s health and safety. It is less blaming and more constructive. It draws attention to other contributors to the problem (discussed later) aside from parents, and encourages a broader range of interventions. Clearly, many neglect situations may require intervention (e.g., a child with failure to thrive due to an inadequate diet) but may not warrant or meet criteria for CPS involvement. Practitioners, however, need to be aware of the laws and regulations in their area and factor these into their practice.