Tackling child neglect in Scotland 2: rapid review of intervention literature

Context

3. Neglect is one of the most damaging childhood experiences and is associated with some of the poorest behavioural, emotional and cognitive outcomes. These affect life chances and contribute significantly to widening social, economic and health inequalities. Evidence suggests that one in ten children in the UK experience neglect and that it is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. Current attempts to improve responses to neglected children are fragmented across training, development and research initiatives, none of which is sufficient in scope and scale to tackle a phenomenon that is complex, intractable, sprawling and entrenched. Child neglect is a major crisis that requires a comprehensive solution.

4. To experience neglect of developmental needs is one of the most profoundly damaging childhood experiences. There is now an overwhelming body of research that evidences just how harmful neglect can be to emotional, behavioural and cognitive development in the short and long term. Significant and sustained change is needed in the quality of care given to the child and the environment for children to experience positive outcomes as adults (Iwaniec, Sneddon and Allen 2003; Lutman and Farmer 2013).

5. The systems we have developed in the UK for the support and protection of children do not provide the most effective response to neglected children and are particularly poor at prevention of neglect in the first place and at responding early enough to prevent physical and emotional damage. At the same time, there is a considerable body of evidence about what would be helpful to children and their parents: the problem lies with effective implementation of this evidence.