Indicators of intentional child neglect by parents and caregivers: A social work perspective

Abstract

Intentional child neglect is a profound violation of children's rights with significant consequences. This phenomenon is a global concern and presents complex issues affecting everyone. Historically, children were viewed as property of their parents often subjected to different types of maltreatment, including neglect. Most of these incidents occurred within the family setting making it difficult to detect. This often resulted in deaths or physical disabilities and demonstrated that child neglect has a long history, yet, the concept of child protection is recent. The states saw it fit to have rights and interventions specifically tailored for children. Social workers are among the professionals who are mandated by the state to protect children while considering the children's best interests. Yet, they find themselves in complex situations that hinder and interfere with the pace of their service delivery. Taking into consideration the aforementioned, this study aimed to explore from literature and practice, indicators of intentional child neglect by parents and caregivers. This aim was achieved through two manuscripts. The first manuscript employed a scoping review approach, which aimed to systematically map the existing literature on intentional child neglect, identifying key predictors, trends, and gaps in current research. This initial phase provided a comprehensive overview of the factors contributing to intentional child neglect and highlighted areas that required further exploration. Since the literature on intentional child neglect is limited most studies and laws refer to it in a broad sense, with many definitions treating intentional and unintentional neglect as part of a broad spectrum. For this study, "child neglect" will primarily refer to situations in which there is some intentionality on the part of parents or caregivers. By concentrating on intentional neglect, this study is expanding and improving upon the existing discussion rather than challenging it. Therefore, the words child neglect and intentional child neglect are used interchangeably. The review applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) checklist and Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework to offer an inclusive synopsis of the present state of information. A total of 24 peer-reviewed articles published across the globe between January 2014 and January 2024 formed part of this review. These articles consist of observational studies, systematic reviews, meta-syntheses, qualitative and quantitative studies. These studies were conducted in various parts of the world; United Kingdom, the United States of America, Zimbabwe, Canada, Ghana, New York, Israel, China, and Europe, out of which only three studies were conducted in South Africa. The scoping review revealed various predictors of intentional child neglect, including cultural predictors, social predictors, health predictors, economic predictors, biological predictors, environmental predictors, and educational predictors. It also shared an insight into challenges experienced by children, their families, social workers, and communities, and this is a fundamental aspect of understanding the dynamics of intentional child neglect. These difficulties are most noticeable in the context of this study when parents and caregivers unwittingly continue to engage in negligent conduct while thinking they are doing what is best for their children. This is frequently the result of cultural ideas and societal beliefs. The second manuscript adopted a qualitative explorative approach. A total of 16 social workers in the Capricorn District under Limpopo Province were interviewed using a semi structured interview guide to gather their experiences and perspectives related to intentional child neglect by parents and caregivers in the area. These interviews were aimed at corroborating the findings of the scoping review and exploring additional dimensions of the issue from the participants' viewpoint. These interviews provided a valuable understanding of challenges experienced by professionals working with families and children affected by neglect, the impact of neglect on children's lives, factors contributing to intentional child neglect, the most eminent types of neglect in the district, as well as the most vulnerable groups to neglect. By combining the findings from the scoping review with the insights gathered from social workers, the study sought to develop a richer understanding of intentional child neglect, as well as the specific signs and factors that contribute to it. This approach allowed for a more holistic perspective, blending academic research with field-based knowledge. Overall, this study provides valuable knowledge into the complex nature of intentional child neglect contributing to an improved understanding of the understudied problem. It points to the need for a multifaceted approach to deal with the problem, involving preventative measures that involve parents, communities, and stakeholders; and interventions that improve access to resources and services, support parents, and promote the well-being of the children; and increased support for social workers as their institutional and intrapersonal challenges may hamper service delivery to the affected children and their families. Furthermore, findings from both manuscripts contributed to developing effective preventative and intervention strategies.