Causes and complicating factors for child neglect range from the family home through to wider society. Child neglect is often characterised by the interaction of personal, family, community and society factors (including social disadvantages such as poverty). The following research therefore focusses on these range of factors:
In a nutshell guide:
- Causes and complicating factors for child neglect can be at family, organisation, community and society levels. At all of these levels strengths may also be demonstrated that are supporting the child and their development.
- Parenting within the contexts of poverty and disadvantage can be considered inherently challenging. When assessing neglect, fully consider the roles of social harms such as poverty, educational disadvantage, lack of access to supportive services and poor housing.
- Breakdowns in social support and social relationships around children and their families can often be significant for neglect.
- Organisations where there is continual change, high staff turnover, low morale and high levels of stress can be in in compromised positions to support and respond effectively to families, leading to organisational neglect of children.
- Key factors at the family level for neglect can be: mental health problems, learning disabilities, substance misuse, problematic parent-child relationships, a history of criminal behaviours, parents having endured abuse as children themselves and domestic abuse.
Finding more detailed information
For more detailed explanations of the causes/complicating factors for neglect at the family level refer to pages 17-27 of Brandon et al. (2014) Missed opportunities: indicators of neglect – what is ignored, why, and what can be done?: Department for Education (publishing.service.gov.uk)
These links to the Research in Practice Neglect in a Context of Poverty and Austerity briefing (frontlinebriefing-neglectmay19_web-2.pdf – Google Drive) and the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (New map | DataMapWales (gov.wales) should support you to consider the roles of wider disadvantages, such as poverty and poor housing, on family functioning and their roles in child neglect.