This is often chronic, and it usually involves repeated incidents. It involves failing to provide what a child needs for his or her physical, psychological or emotional development and well being. For example, neglect includes failing to provide a child with food, clothing, shelter, cleanliness, medical care or protection from harm. Emotional neglect includes failing to provide a child with love, safety, and a sense of worth.(Department of Justice Canada, 2007).

1. Physical Neglect-accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment. The definition includes the refusal of or extreme delay in seeking necessary health care, child abandonment, inadequate supervision, rejection of a child leading to expulsion from the home and failing to adequately provide for the child's safey and physical and emotional needs. This form of neglect can severely impact a child's development by causing failure to thrive, malnutrtion, serious illnesses, physical harm in the form of cuts, bruises and burns due to lack of supervision and a lifetime of low self-esteem.

2. Educational Neglect-occurs when a child is allowed to engage in chronic truancy, is of mandatory school age but is not enrolled or is not receiving educational training. Educational neglect can lead to underachievement in acquiring necessary basic skills, dropping out of school and/or continually disruptive behaviour.

3. Emotional Neglect-includes such actions as chronic or extreme spousal abuse in the child's presence, allowing a child to use drugs or alcohol, refusal or failure to provide needed psychological care, constant belittleing and witholding of affection. This pattern of behaviour acan lead to poor self-image, alcohol and drug abuse, destructive behaviours and even suicide.

4. Medical Neglect-is the failure to provide appropriate health care for a child although financially able to do so. This form of neglect can result in poor overall health and coumpounded medical problems.

Physical Indicators

poor diet: child is either overweight(persistent hunger) or underweight

dirty: body odour, skin disease, lice

dark circles around the eyes

poor motor skills

inappropriate dress to age

Behavioural Indicators

passive/unassertive or aggressive extremes

nervous habits/ immature behaviour

depression

withdrawn

fatigued/sleepy

These children are usually prone to prostitution or suicidal attempts due to low self esteem and depression. Parents/ guardians usually leaver their children unsupervised, abandoned and usually have a lack of interest in their child's activities.