Neglect

Our Panel meets every fortnight to consider incidents where children have died or suffered serious harm across England. We bring together professionals from different sectors to provide a multi‑agency view on how child protection can be improved.

Neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment in England. Our data shows that it is often the most significant issue, or a key factor, contributing to serious safeguarding incidents. We decided to shine a spotlight on this area to understand how practice across agencies can improve.

Our analysis shows that neglect rarely appears as a crisis. It usually deepens over time. Patterns build and concerns repeat. If we don’t look at these concerns together, or if we hesitate to name neglect, children can remain in harmful situations for far too long.

Across the serious incidents we examined, several themes appeared repeatedly. We saw children who were hungry, withdrawn, behaving uncharacteristically, or who had repeated injuries. These were signs noted by safeguarding professionals but not fully explored.

We saw parental accounts being accepted without checking information from other agencies, or without asking why those accounts differed from what children were saying was happening at home. We also saw children whose voices were not fully heard, understood or reflected in assessments, including children who had not been spoken to alone.

In some cases, children’s living conditions had not been seen first‑hand, and rooms were later found to be unsafe or uninhabitable. We also identified important indicators that were not connected, such as repeated missed medical appointments or low school attendance without good reason.

Neglect is not only about the home environment. It is about a child’s daily lived experience. Understanding that requires curiosity, clear communication, and strong joined‑up working across services.

There are five actions that make a meaningful difference. First, name neglect when you see it. Clear language supports clear decision‑making. Second, use professional curiosity. Check information, verify what you are told, and see first‑hand what life is really like for the child. Third, listen to children directly and ensure their voices guide your understanding. Fourth, work closely with other agencies so everyone contributes to the full picture. And finally, use evidence‑based tools to bring structure and consistency to assessments.

We know this is skilled and difficult work, especially when caseloads are high. But there are clear opportunities to act earlier and prevent harm from becoming part of a child’s everyday life. Neglect can be difficult to identify, but with reflective, child‑centred practice, we can recognise it sooner and act with the urgency that children need.

For further learning and guidance, please visit the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel website and learning hub.