ABSTRACT
Neglect is the most often experienced form of child maltreatment and can be the most difficult type of maltreatment to address. More children die annually from neglect than from any other type of maltreatment. In addition, children who die from neglect tend to be below the age of seven. Chronic physical neglect or medical neglect are the most common reasons children die. Children removed from their homes for neglect are less likely to reunify with their families, and they also experience more days in out-of-home care than children who suffer other types of maltreatment. Because of their complexity and difficulty, neglect cases are often triaged to the bottom of a social worker’s caseload. However, because of the intricacy and risk to children, neglect cases need the most attention from social workers.
