Child maltreatment due to neglect (beyond the obvious) (II): organizational and professional factors

Neglect is the most frequent form of child maltreatment, but its signs are generally subtle, so its detection requires a proactive approach. Only 8% of reports of child maltreatment through neglect are filed from the health care system, probably due to the poor fit of reporting systems to the dynamics of health care delivery and insufficient training of health care providers in the appropriate approach to child neglect. Pediatricians need rigorous training on attachment, parenting skills and risk factors associated with vulnerability in children to be able to provide the care and support each child may need depending on their particular circumstances. We describe the most frequent professional and organizational factors that hinder the management of neglect and propose interventions to prevent deficient responses to the needs of children.