What’s Considered Neglecting a Child?

Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal and State laws. According to state law, child abuse and neglect may be defined in both civil and criminal statutes. In federal law, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) has defined child abuse and neglect as "any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caregiver that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm." While the laws are explicit in the legal definition of child abuse and neglect, there are many things to know in a practical sense.

Physical Abuse is not just Violence 

Generally, most think of physical abuse in the sense of an injury that is not the result of an accident. This could be hitting, kicking, punching, biting, or the like. Many states also include the threat of harm as physical abuse. Unfortunately, today, human trafficking is playing a larger role in the terminology of physical abuse. This could include labor trafficking, involuntary servitude, or the trafficking of minors. 

Failure to Educate is Neglect

Neglect is most thought of as the failure of a parent to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and supervision to a child. And while any occurrence of a child’s health, safety, or well-being being threatened is included in neglect, other issues fall in this category as well. In some states, neglect also includes the failure to provide medical treatment or mental health care as needed by a child. 

Sexual Abuse is ALWAYS Abuse

All states include sexual abuse in their definitions of child abuse. Sexual exploitation is also generally considered an act of sexual abuse as well. Engaging and producing child pornography along with sex trafficking are all forms of abuse punishable by both federal and state law. 

While it is heartbreaking that the law, at two levels, must define these matters of abuse when it comes to a child, the laws were written to protect the most innocent among us. If you see something or know something, report it today. 

 (1)https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/define.pdf