Neglect is when a parent or carer doesn’t meet the basic physical and/or emotional needs of their child. Children who are experiencing neglect often go without the essential things they need to keep them happy, healthy and safe – things like nutritious food, good hygiene, a safe place to live, adequate clothing, medical care, education and love and affection.
Neglect is the most common form of child abuse in the UK and the most common reason for a child to be subject to a Child Protection plan. Neglect can have a significant and long lasting impact on children. It is better to respond to neglect at an early stage, but it can be difficult to identify and assess. This means that neglect is often missed or noticed at a much late stage where it is harder to intervene.
How will BSCP reduce and prevent neglect in Birmingham?
Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) training is available free to all professionals and volunteers working with children and families in Birmingham. GCP2 is a licensed assessment tool developed by NSPCC. It can measure the quality of care provided to a child and can be used to support families to make positive changes.
In April 2024, Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership hosted Neglect Practice Week, a series of free webinars and workshops focused on safeguarding children from neglect. The sessions were open to all professionals and volunteers working with children and families in Birmingham.
The resources from each session have been uploaded to our Neglect Practice Week 2024 webpage. There, you can download the PowerPoint slides for all of the talks, some of which have also been recorded, along with additional useful resources.