Neglect is one of the most common yet overlooked forms of child mistreatment. Unlike abuse, which often involves active harm, neglect is defined by the absence of proper care, attention, or supervision. It can be physical, emotional, medical, or educational. While all parents have moments of being overwhelmed, distracted, or imperfect, there is a clear point at which neglect becomes harmful enough that it warrants intervention—and sometimes, a call to Child Protective Services (CPS).
Neglect crosses the line when a child’s basic needs are consistently unmet in a way that causes harm or serious risk. Physical neglect may involve failing to provide food, shelter, clothing, or hygiene. A child who is regularly hungry, dirty, cold, or living in an unsafe environment is at risk. Emotional neglect includes ignoring a child’s need for love, attention, and support. This might look like constant isolation, rejection, or failure to comfort a child in distress.
Medical neglect happens when parents refuse or ignore needed medical care, such as vaccinations, treatment for infections, or mental health support. Educational neglect occurs when a child is kept out of school without valid reasons or lacks support to access learning.
Children may show signs that something is wrong long before the situation is reported. These signs include chronic fatigue, sudden changes in behavior, frequent absences from school, poor hygiene, untreated illnesses, or constant hunger. If a child seems fearful, withdrawn, or is raising concerns themselves, it’s worth listening closely.
CPS should be contacted when there is reasonable suspicion that a child’s well-being is in danger and the caregivers are not taking steps to correct the situation. You do not need proof. You only need concern that is serious and specific enough to suggest the child may be suffering or unsafe.
Some people hesitate to call CPS out of fear of being wrong, offending the family, or getting involved in something messy. But CPS is not about punishing parents—it is about protecting children and offering resources to families who may be struggling. In many cases, intervention leads to support, not separation. But in severe cases, especially when the child is in immediate danger, CPS can step in to prevent long-term harm or worse.
Ultimately, calling CPS should not be taken lightly. But neither should the signs of persistent neglect. Children cannot protect themselves. When adults look the other way, the neglect continues. Knowing when to act—and choosing to do so—can be the difference between a child who suffers quietly and a child who finally gets help.
