Neglect and medical neglect

Neglect is a persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and psychological (emotional) needs. Persistent means a continuing pattern, so a single lapse is not neglect. The failure is also likely to cause serious harm to the child's health or development, and it may or may not be deliberate.

Basic needs include food, shelter, clean and suitable clothing, protection from harm, medical care and adequate supervision. Adequate supervision includes not leaving a child who is too young to look after themselves home alone. Neglect can also begin before birth, for example through alcohol misuse in pregnancy.

Medical neglect is the part of neglect in which a child's medical needs are ignored, required medication is not given, or medical attention is not sought when needed. Repeated missed appointments together with forgotten or uncollected medicines, such as inhalers for asthma, suggest medical neglect.

A parent who does not mean any harm can still be neglecting a child's medical needs, because the persistent pattern matters, not the intention. Explore the reasons for non-attendance sensitively, since problems with transport, understanding or other pressures on the family may lie behind it. In notes, a child who misses an appointment is recorded as was not brought, not as did not attend, because the duty to make sure the child attends belongs to the parent or carer.

Anyone who suspects that a child's needs are not being met should seek advice from their manager, supervisor or safeguarding lead, and share the concern through safeguarding procedures.