Neglect is the most common form of maltreatment and child abuse. In New York State, failure to provide the minimum degree of care for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education and adequate supervision is considered neglect.

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For example:

• Food may be the same meal every day.
• Clothing does not need to be fashionable.
• The child’s residence needs to be structurally sound and able to pass a code inspection.
• Caregivers must ensure that children are actively enrolled in school. This does not mean a child has to be earning high grades, participating in activities, or have impeccable attendance.
• Caregivers must provide children with basic medical, dental, optometrical or surgical care, if they are financially able to do so.

It is important to avoid implicit bias when considering a neglect diagnosis. One way to help mitigate implicit biases is to consider multiple potential hypotheses to explain the situation.

The diagnosis of neglect is based on the possible or imminent risk of harm to the child that results from the caregiver's inattention to the child's needs. The diagnosis of neglect is made when a caregiver does not provide for the child. The American Academy of Pediatrics has defined neglect by the following categories (Stirling & Gavril 2024):

Physical neglect

failure to provide food, clothing, shelter and other essentials that keep kids healthy and safe.

Emotional neglect

lack of love, comfort, affection and support to help children feel secure in the world.

Medical neglect: lack of regular checkups or immediate care when kids are sick or hurt.

Educational neglect: failure to offer regular schooling, whether in a public or private settings or through homeschooling that prepares kids for college or careers.

Supervisory neglect

failure to keep an eye on children and safeguard them from dangers at home, school or in the community.

The healthcare professional should work to support families by determining needs for resources and offering resources and parental support when available. For example, lack of access to transportation may be a factor that leads to missed appointments and supporting families for needs such as this can improve healthcare and avoid a diagnosis of neglect.




Diagnosis