Noticing and Helping Neglected Children: Messages from Action on Neglect

Abstract

This paper sets out the messages from Action on Neglect, an Economic and Social Research Council Follow on Fund‐sponsored project which ran from April 2011 to the end of March 2012 in England. Undertaken by a small team of researchers and practitioners from the universities of Stirling and Dundee and the national charity Action for Children, it was a follow‐up to a literature review produced as part of the Safeguarding Children Across Services Research Initiative. The project team met with multidisciplinary groups of practitioners and managers from all key professions working with children in three areas of England on four occasions. The messages from the study were used to consider the extent to which current practice equates with evidence from the research. Through a process of co‐production, the project explored the ways in which neglected children are currently helped and considered what could be done to improve recognition and early response. The final product was a pack – Action on Neglect – that outlines a series of detailed worked examples setting out improved pathways to help for neglected children and their families. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Practitioners can work together effectively to identify blocks to effective intervention and generate solutions. The views of children and young people show that practitioners need to be aware of, and sensitive to, young people's feelings. Practitioners need to become better at discerning which parents can use help on a voluntary basis and which cannot. Children want to feel loved, but this love needs to be practically as well as emotionally expressed.

The Relational Assessment of Neglected Youth (RANY): Probing the Need for an Assessment Tool

“…Research supports the view that, as opposed to the more dire forecast for younger victims exposed to severe child neglect and subsequent attachment disruption, neglect among older youth results in disconnections that can be repaired if adequately assessed and treated (Daniel et al, 2014;Hicks & Stein, 2015;Jordan, 2001). Li and Julian (2012) offer a more optimistic view of attachment through an allusion to what they term emotional attachment, which like relational development, requires reciprocal engagement and can occur with any adult, not just the primary caregiver.…”

“…Notably, the adolescents considered parents neglectful if they did not teach their children basic social skills, morals, manners, and how to look after themselves (Hicks & Stein). Another study involving adolescents found that the young people in the group offered descriptions of neglect that included phrases such as: "not enough love"; "parents and stepparents having no interest in me"; "having to look after brothers and sisters-you end up doing your parents job," and "the responsibility is passed to you"; and "parents neglect themselves" (Daniel et al, 2014). These definitions reflect the absence of mutual and empathetic growth-producing opportunities that are necessary experiences in the development of socially connected and psychologically healthy adults.…”

“…Researchers found sufficient evidence to suggest that neglect and/or neglectful parenting of young people (i.e., older youth) is/are associated with poor mental health and emotional well-being; risky health behaviors; risks to safety, including running away; poor conduct and achievement at school; and the likelihood of involvement in offending and antisocial behavior (Daniel et al, 2014;Hicks & Stein, 2015). This review shows that older victims of neglect are more impacted by relational deficits leading to disconnecting behavior that is reflected in mental health problems as well as social violations.…”

Some Ethical Limitations of Privatising and Marketizing Social Care and Social Work Provision in England for Children and Young People

“…As discussed, there persists evidence that marketisation and privatisation within social work and care increases the likelihood of children and young people experiencing social exclusion and disadvantage whilst in care, and indeed often throughout their life course. Other commentators have gone further and argued that the child protection system now fails to adequately provide an appropriate response to the prevalence of child neglect, which is closely linked to structural factors such as poverty, inequality and social deprivation (for example, Daniel et al, 2014). In addition, concerns have been raised about the inefficiencies which market-based care generate, including a tendency for oligopolies to form, especially among corporate providers.…”

Interventions in Chronic and Severe Neglect: What Works?

“…Daniel and colleagues () set out the messages from Action on Neglect, a knowledge exchange project that followed up on the extent to which current practice equates with research evidence. Through a process of co‐production, the project looked at the ways in which neglected children are currently helped and what might be done to improve recognition and response.…”