Child neglect is a result of the withdrawal of the vital services offered to children by their parents and guardians. Children, being dependent on adults, are susceptible to neglect because they do not have the capacity to meet their basic needs. They depend on the parents and guardians for food, shelter, education, healthcare, and security, social and emotional support. Therefore, the withdrawal of responsibility for various reasons leads to the children failing to make significant milestones. In the United States, statistics indicate that neglected children total to about 1.23% and 64% of them were susceptible to various forms of abuse National (Research Council, 2014). Children’s vulnerability makes neglect a gateway for other forms of abuse preventable through early interventions.
Post-traumatic Symptoms of Child Neglect
Developmental problems are common signs in children who have undergone neglect. The rapid development is experienced in childhood makes it possible to identify those who have not met the required milestones in both weight and height. Neglected children may exhibit stunted growth and higher risks of contracting diseases due to low immunity and increased exposure (Research Council, 2014). Failure to achieve the require childhood developmental milestones is mostly due to poor nutrition and poor access to medical services. Irresponsible parents may not get time to prepare nutritious food for their children, and while some may feed on poor diets, other may go without food or forced to eat insignificant shares.
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Anxiety is also a common post-traumatic symptom associated with neglect. The inability of the children to predict their parents or guardians’ next moves makes them anxious. Besides, verbal, sexual, or physical abuse, accompany child negligence, children are in constant fear for their security and ability to meet their needs. Unlike children who hail from families with caring and responsible parents, parental support is not guaranteed to neglected children. Therefore, they might be reluctant to approach them for their various needs and the failure of the parents to allow them room for expression mounts fretfulness.
School-based Intervention for Traumatic Child Neglect
Teachers and school administrators are central stakeholders in the wholesome development of children. Children spend most of their time in school, and this gives educators ample opportunity to interact with the children and identify any social and emotional problems that they have (Crosson-Tower, 2003). Therefore, the identification and assessment intervention should be ingrained the schools’ children social support systems. Although the institutions may not have the capacity to assist children directly, they can make recommendations and referrals. Schools are in touch with children rights advocacy bodies as a well as the relevant government institutions. Teachers can observe neglected children over time ad ascertain the authenticity of the symptoms and intervene by referring them to the institutions that can offer psychological or foster care.
Also, schools run guidance and counseling departments to offer psychological support to the learners. Therefore, upon identifying neglected children, school administrators can take children through counseling session to support them emotionally. However, it is noteworthy that the neglect trauma cannot be solved through isolated counseling sessions (Crosson-Tower, 2003). The guidance department can ensure the effectiveness of their activities by working together with other institutions that reach out to the parents or that offer foster care.
Family involvement is critical to ensuring that children lead quality lives. Traumatized children are in dire need of assurance and confidence that the situations that they have already gone through would not occur again in future. According to Crosson-Tower (2003), this calls for the involvement of the family. It is also noteworthy that children develop a strong attachment to their family members. Therefore, support emanating firm the family is more effective that external support. In child trauma, I would assist the family in various ways.
First, I would address the cause of neglect. The common factors that instigate parents to forego their roles include drug abuse, lack of employment and spouse wrangles (Garber & Little, 2001). Parents abusing drugs can be referred to rehabilitation services which would assist them to regain their initial family responsibilities. Spouse wrangles whose effects trickle down to the children can also be solved through marital counseling. Evaluating the child’s recovery process would be an instrumental indication of a successful solution to the primary problem leading to neglect.
Secondly, for parents undergoing critical conflicts with little hope for a constructive solution, I would advise them to allow their children enrolled in foster care. Such would include incarcerated parents, those going for rehabilitation, and those considering divorce as the only solution to their domestic disagreements. The rationale for this is that while dealing the child trauma, prioritizing best interest of the child (Garber & Little, 2001).
Summarily, child neglect affects a significant number of children, the majority of whom are susceptible to a myriad of abuses due to their susceptibility. Such children can present the symptoms of delayed physical development and poor health. By being in contact with children, the school can intervene through guidance and refer the traumatized children to foster care. Parental support is also imperative, and achievable by addressing the core causes of neglect. For parents who may not have an immediate solution to the domestic problems, leading to children conserved for foster care.
References
Crosson-Tower, C. (2003). The role of educators in preventing and responding to child abuse and neglect (pp. 61-70). US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Garber, J., & Little, S. A. (2001). Emotional autonomy and adolescent adjustment. Journal of Adolescent Research , 16 (4), 355-371.
National Research Council. (2014). New directions in child abuse and neglect research . National Academies Press.
