Child neglect – recognising the signs
All children deserve to be cared for and kept safe from harm. Neglect happens when a child's basic needs are persistently not met.
When children are neglected, the long-term impact can be profound – it affects healthy brain development, leading to problems later in life. Neglect can affect a child’s self-esteem, difficulties with controlling emotions, and challenges in managing relationships with others.
What are the signs of neglect?
Neglect can be difficult to recognise. If you spot one of these signs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a child is being neglected. However, if you notice multiple signs, that are repeated consistently over a period of time, this could be neglect.
Some signs to be aware of are:
- poor appearance and hygiene, and health problems such as:
- having unwashed, dirty, or inappropriately fitting clothes
- wearing clothing that is inappropriate for the weather
- being consistently smelly or dirty in appearance
- skin rashes or head lice that is not treated
- frequent unexplained injuries or A&E attendance, indicating supervision that is not adequate for the child’s needs
- poor dental hygiene and unaddressed tooth decay
- behaviour problems such as:
- missing school or being consistently late
- constant tiredness
- being withdrawn, having low moods or being anxious
- finding it hard to concentrate or take part in activities
- being clingy or aggressive
- self-harming or expressing suicidal ideations
- housing and family issues such as being left on their own for a long time
What you should do if you are concerned about a child
If you are worried about a child or young person, you must report it straight away. You can:
- call our multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) helpline on 020 8489 4470 – available Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 5pm
- call our out-of-office-hours helpline on 020 8489 0000
- call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000
- inform your GP or health centre. You can find contact information for each of the GP practices and health centres in Haringey on the Haringey GP Federation website (external link).
- contact the child’s school:
- contact a Haringey children’s centre for children aged 0-5. You can find the phone numbers on the children’s centres pages
You don’t need to be absolutely certain of what you’ve seen or heard to get in touch with us. Information is usually gathered from many sources, and your report would form one part of a bigger picture. You can also make the call anonymously if you don’t feel comfortable giving us your details.