The types of child neglect you’ve never heard of

When we hear about children who have experienced neglect, our minds often jump to physical impacts. But neglect can extend much further and affect all facets of childhood development. It can have devastating, long-lasting effects on a child’s wellbeing.

At Berry Street, we see firsthand the profound impact of childhood neglect. Neglect can cause the same levels of harm as those who’ve experienced physical or sexual abuse.

What is neglect?

Neglect is the failure to meet a child's essential needs across various crucial areas. It can be defined as:

• Physical Neglect: This can mean a child isn't properly fed, clothed, housed, or has medical needs that aren’t met.
• Emotional Neglect: This is often the most common and profoundly damaging. Emotional neglect can mean a lack of consistent nurturing, love, and interest or affection.
• Supervisory Neglect: This refers to inadequate supervision and often means a child can be put in danger. For example, a child could be left on their own outside for extended periods of time, without being monitored.
• Developmental Neglect: This type of neglect refers to missing out on crucial experiences for learning and growth. For example, a child might never have experienced play, with their parents or other children. They might never have explored objects normally. When these essential milestones are missed, children can enter school profoundly behind.
• Cultural Neglect: For children from diverse backgrounds, neglect can also mean the failure to meet their vital cultural needs, severing their connection to identity, community, and heritage.

These experiences can leave children with significant challenges, impacting their ability to walk, speak, or process emotions in healthy ways. These impacts can seem like symptoms of medical conditions, but often they are due to profound neglect and its resulting trauma.

How neglect affects a child

Despite its invisibility, childhood neglect can cause developmental and psychological harms. These issues often can persist into adulthood.

Children who experience neglect often develop a sense of insecurity and hyper-vigilance. They might struggle with things like:

Physical development: Delays in walking, coordination, and even the ability to eat and drink normally are common. This is because basic physical needs haven't been consistently met or taught.

Communication: Delays in speech development can occur, as children who’ve experienced neglect haven't been engaged in regular communication needed for language acquisition.

Emotional regulation: Children can have intense emotional outbursts, night terrors, or other disruptive behaviours to cope with overwhelming feelings. Because of a lack of nurturing and support, children who’ve experienced neglect often don’t appropriately communicate their feelings.

Social Skills: Children who’ve experienced neglect might have difficulties forming relationships or trusting others because they haven't had consistent, positive relationships.

None of these behaviours should define a child – rather, they are evidence of the immense trauma a child or young person has experienced.

The effects of childhood trauma can be overcome

With the right support, children can heal. Through a consistent, nurturing environment and specialised, trauma-informed care, children can “catch up” and begin to thrive.

At Berry Street, we provide comprehensive support to foster carers like Leah* and Daniel*, who open their hearts and homes to children like three-year-old Izzy*. When Izzy entered care after experiencing severe neglect, she couldn't walk properly, didn't speak, struggled to eat solid food, and endured terrible night terrors. Support for children like her is critical.

Your support helps Berry Street provide the essential services and comprehensive care that transforms the lives of children like Izzy who have experienced profound neglect and trauma. It gives them the chance to heal, to develop, and to experience the safe, loving childhood they so richly deserve.

Learn more about Izzy’s story and how you can support here.