Raising awareness of neglect
Derren Hayes
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
A new guide to neglect offers children's professionals advice on how to best identify and respond to it.
Recent analysis by the NSPCC showed how children's professionals in universal services were referring many cases of child neglect to social services that could be better managed with early help.
The research suggested education, health, police and early years practitioners were too readily referring suspected cases of child neglect because they lacked knowledge on the issue, as well as the confidence to intervene themselves.
A guide produced by a group of charities and safeguarding agencies and published last week aims to address that professional deficiency by clearly setting out what the different forms of neglect are (see box), how prevalent the problem is, the common warning signs of it and how professionals should respond.
The guide's title, Child Neglect - be professionally curious, summarises the basic principle that runs through it, says Kate Mulley, director of policy and campaigns at Action for Children, which has led the project alongside the National Police Chiefs Council.
"The guide is not offering professionals a check list," says Mulley. "It is saying these are the things to look out for in the children you work with that should trigger your curiosity.
Chronic problem
"We wanted to add some urgency to something that is a chronic problem, but can be overlooked."
The number of children on child protection plans due to neglect rose 1.5 percentage points in 2014/15 to nearly 45 per cent of all cases. This can have significant impact on a child's life - it can cause language delay, low self-esteem, poor school attendance and self-harm.
"Neglect is particularly damaging when it is chronic and cumulative," Mulley explains. "It can have long-term implications for the child's educational, social and emotional development."
Mulley adds that neglect is a factor in six out of 10 serious case reviews. Despite this, it can be hard to spot - children will rarely disclose neglect - so the guide impresses the point that practitioners need to understand the different forms neglect can take and be alert to behaviours that may indicate there is a problem.
For example, children who are constantly hungry or tired at school, who regularly miss health appointments or are not adequately clothed are all indicators that neglect is occurring.
Mulley adds that if professionals in universal services and settings are to play a greater part in identifying and tackling neglect, it is important that they do not wait for legal thresholds to be breached before intervening.
"Responsibility for responding to neglect is broader than just social services and police," she explains. "The problems may not meet the thresholds set by the child protection system."
Instead, the guide advises professionals to "explore the significance" of one or a number of indicators of neglect when concerns arise, so an understanding of a child's circumstances can be "pieced together through the accumulation of evidence".
Parenting support
It also states that on many occasions, the problem will be down to a lack of parenting skills and capacity. Mulley says this can be addressed through support.
"If a practitioner can get alongside parents at the early stages and work with them, then it is possible to reduce or remove neglect in 80 per cent of cases," she says. "You need to put in place helpful interventions that build their capacity and skills, and to work with parents to help them to see the issues through the child's perspective."
The guide also outlines changes to the legal definition of neglect introduced through amendments to the Serious Crime Act 2015, which aim to make it easier to distinguish deliberate and persistent abuse from minor instances of neglect.
"It is about making sure the criminal law is fit for purpose and children are protected if someone has done something deliberately," says Mulley. "It is not about those parents who are unable (to parent properly) - it will not be the response for the majority."
She adds that this is important for universal services professionals to bear in mind because some are put off raising concerns as they are worried that doing so could make matters worse or result in a child being taken into care.
In addition, Mulley says the fact that the guide has been put together by a broad range of organisations - including the Department for Education, Public Health England, Ofsted and local safeguarding children's boards - will help develop a "common understanding of neglect" across the child protection system.
"It will enable professionals to work more closely together, have a common understanding of the issues and speak the same language when discussing neglect," she adds.
By improving professionals' knowledge of neglect and empowering them to intervene earlier, Mulley hopes that the guide can also reduce the damage that it has on children's lives.
FORMS OF NEGLECT
- Physical neglect: failing to provide for a child's basic needs - such as food, clothing or shelter - or failing to adequately supervise a child or provide a safe environment
- Emotional neglect: the omission of love and failing to nurture a child
- Educational neglect: failing to ensure a child receives an education
- Medical neglect: failing to provide appropriate healthcare - such as dental care - and refusing care against medical advice
- Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child - for example, telling a child they are worthless, unloved or inadequate