Neglect During Infancy And Early Childhood Endangers Early Brain Development And Can Have Consequences Which Persist Into Adulthood.

Young children need access to secure, supportive relationships and resources in order to achieve healthy physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. When young children are neglected, their brain development may be threatened. This policy brief reviews our understanding of child neglect and its implications for children and families.

Some highlights of the brief:

• Child neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment.
• In Shelby County, over half of child maltreatment referrals for children under 6 include reports of child neglect.
• There are many public and private community resources in Memphis designed to respond to child neglect and offer help to families struggling to meet their children's developmental needs.