Lesson Two - Neglect - Causes

• What are the numbers?
• Neglect
  • Indicators
  • Causes
• Physical
  • Considerations
  • Causes
• Emotional
• Sexual
• Cultural Issues
• Guidelines

Possible Causes of Neglect

The causes of neglect are numerous and negelct almost always has a detrimental effect on the child. For example, neglect can result from an impoverished environment. However, poverty itself isn't necessarily the cause of neglect. This might be confusing, but remember the definition of neglect: the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care to a child by the primary caregiver. Even though a family may be poor, most needs still can be met adequately. 

Other causes of neglect may be:

• inadequate nutritional knowledge
• family stress
• different cultural practices regarding nutritional beliefs
• cyclical pattern, meaning the parents themselves were once neglected and they are not aware of proper parenting techniques. 

One must remember that when neglect is reported, services can be made available to families in order to educate and improve the family environment. Some families may not be aware of services offered throughout their community at no cost to them. For example, the Healthy Start Program helps parents to find doctors who can provide vaccinations for their children. 

Once services are in place, children, especially those at an early age, make great strides to rebound from developmental delays. Most will return to the correct stage for their age and continue a normal growth pattern. However, if these services are not provided, children may be delayed, severely damaged physically and mentally, and some will even die as a result. 

 

Educational Neglect

As stated earler, educational neglect is unlike the other types of neglect. It is handled differently under the law and by a different government department. Before we look how it is managed, let's define what education means. 

Education means learning based on an organized educational program that is appropriate, given the age, intelligence, ability, and psychological limitations of a juvenile, in the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, writing, and English grammar. [MCL 712A.2(b)1]

Educational neglect is defined by the Juvenile Code as:

"Whose parent or other person legally responsible for the care and maintenance of the juvenile, when able to do so, neglects or refuses to provide proper or necessary support, education, medical, surgical or other care necessary for his or her health or morals, who is subject to a substantial risk of harm to his or her mental well-being, who is abandoned by his or her parents, guardian, other custodian, or who is without proper custody or guardianship.

Educational neglect is not subject to the same reporting methods as other types of abuse. There is a protocol for filing educational neglect petitions that involves the intermediate school district and the prosecutor's office. With educational neglect you are the petitioner. As a petitioner you:

• are the person who requests the court take action.

• are the person who prepares the petition and provides the information necessary to support the allegations.

• will receive notice to appear for all hearings, at least through adjudication.

Some suggestions to help deal with this type of neglect are as follows:

• Be stubborn and persistent in a nice way.

• You may uncover other elements of neglect.

• Make a Protective Services referral.

• Contact your local or intermediate school district Attendance Office for help in preparing your petition.

Even if your petition is rejected, you may have uncovered a situation that can be helped outside of the courtroom.

BACK | NEXT