preventing child neglect: it’s more than a family matter
TRANSCRIPT
THE SEARCH FOR A DEFINITION
While there is no singular definition of child neglect, a generic statement that is unlikely to be refuted is:
Child Neglect is a failure to meet children’s basic needs – whether the failure is the responsibility of parents, communities, or society – and this void places children in harm’s way.
CONCEPTUALIZING NEGLECT
Parental neglect of children
Societal neglect of families
Societal neglect of communities
Community neglect of families
BASICS OF CHILD NEGLECT
Neglect is not one monolithic category – physical, medical, emotional & educational neglect, &
inadequate supervision Dominant and most pervasive form of CA/N 70% of all child fatalities (2012) Only type of CA/N that has not declined over time More likely to recur than other forms of CA/N When recurring, cumulative impacts to child over time Can seriously impair child’s physical, cognitive, & social
and emotional development
BASICS OF CHILD NEGLECT
No Single Cause of NeglectFour Evidence-Informed Characteristics that
contribute to or are associated with child neglect Low socio-economic status Maternal depression and mental health disorders Substance abuse Interpersonal violence
COSTS OF CHILD NEGLECT
NON-FATAL VICTIMSLifetime Costs: $210,012 per victim $32,648 childhood health care $10,530 adult medical costs $144,360 productivity losses $7,728 child welfare costs $6,747 criminal justice costs $7,999 special education costs
FATAL VICTIMSLifetime Costs: $1,272,900 per victim $14,100 medical costs $1,258,800 productivity losses
Total Lifetime Economic Burden of fatal & non-fatal child maltreatment (2008):
$124 billion
(Fang, et al., 2012)