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Chronic child neglect is not unlike global warming in that it is a seemingly intractable problem involving a combination of human land environmental factors. Global warming entails changes in the earth's climate-in part due to human actions-that appear small when viewed in isolation; those changes can have cumulative negative effects on people and the environment. Chronic neglect similarly may appear minor at any single point in time, but may have long-lasting negative impact on a child's health and well-being with indirect costs to society. In November 2007, the American Humane Association launched a "National Initiative on Chronic Neglect" to better understand the complex concept of chronic neglect, to bring key publics together to address the issue, and to help agencies and communities effectively strengthen families impacted by or at risk of chronic neglect.
Chronic Child Neglect
Chronic indicates a pattern or enduring condition-in this case, the pattern or condition of neglect. Multiple research studies and data sets show that neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment and that it tends to recur, yet there is no universal definition for it. The majority of state statutory definitions consider a lack of basic needs-such as food, clothing, and shelter-to be a form of neglect. Reasonable minds differ as to whether the definition of neglect should focus on a child's condition or on a caregiver's acts, omissions or capacity. Neglect is highly correlated with poverty. However, some legal and research definitions of neglect specifically exempt a child's lack of basic needs due to family poverty in recognition that poverty is distinct from neglect.
A child's needs differ at different ages and stages of development; this further complicates the definition. Leaving an infant or toddler unsupervised overnight is often considered to be neglect, since the infant or toddler could injure himself or herself and not be able...