August 24th, 2009 by Lianne

Child abuse is a dreadful thing to imagine. Most of us think of the very worst cases that tend to make headline news and are heart breaking to even hear of.

But neglect is still a form of child abuse. It is harder to spot sometimes but is just as damaging in the long term as anty other sort of abuse.

As a parent I know that there are times for all of us when the pressure of having a child or children can make it difficult to cope. Children have so many demands that it would be impssible to meet all of them ALL of the time. This doesn’t mean that our children are neglected.

Neglect is a perpetual, ongoing failure to provide for your child’s basic needs. The signs of neglect are;

• Child is poorly clothed and will not have adequate protection from the elements.
• Child is absent from school frequently for no reason.
• Child is underweight and not growing at a normal rate
• Child is left home alone or looking after younger siblings on a regular basis.

If you feel concerned that a child you know is being neglected contact your local health worker or a charity such as the NSPCC who will listen to your concerns anonymously and take appropriate action.