Chronic Neglect Publications

For the past decade, nearly two-thirds of the child maltreatment cases investigated or assessed by the nation’s child protective services agencies have been cases of neglect, and children reported for neglect tend to be repeatedly reported for new concerns.

Here you can find resources to broaden your knowledge of this pressing issue. Many can be downloaded for free for personal use. If you have any questions about the materials, please email us at chronicneglect@americanhumane.org.

Please check back periodically for updates!

Protecting Children Volume on Chronic Neglect

Shining Light on Chronic Neglect: Core Issues Facing our Most Vulnerable Families

Protecting Children, Vol. 24, Number 1, 2009

This volume of Protecting Children is dedicated to the topic of chronic neglect and is a major product of American Humane Association’s National Initiative on Chronic Neglect. The authors explore issues such as organizations’ capacity to adequately respond to chronic neglect and describe evaluative outcomes of innovative approaches to helping families overcome chronic neglect.

View sample articles:

Introduction: Shining Light on Chronic Neglect (PDF)
by Caren Kaplan, Patricia Schene, Diane DePanfilis and Debra Gilmore

Chronic Neglect Practice with St. Louis Families (PDF)
by Frances A. Johnson

Limited quantities available. Please contact us at chronicneglect@americanhumane.org if you are interested in a copy of the full volume.

Chronic Neglect Presentations

These are samples of chronic neglect presentations that American Humane Association staff members have delivered. They provide basic facts about both child neglect and chronic child neglect.

National Efforts to Address Chronicity and Cumulative Harm (PDF)

Chronic Families, Chronic Neglect (PDF)

Chronic Neglect: Multiple Views (PDF)

2009 Research Meeting

In January 2009, American Humane Association’s chronic neglect program staff and staff from our Child Protection Research Center jointly hosted a chronic neglect research meeting. Prominent child welfare and systems-of-care researchers from across the country attended and discussed research topics such as chronic neglect definition, assessment, primary and secondary prevention and interventions, interagency sharing and systems of care, and moving research into practice. At the meeting’s conclusion, the participants identified chronic neglect research needs.