Child neglect is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment in the US. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), approximately 899,000 children in the US who were victims of abuse and neglect in 2005, 62.8% suffered from neglect alone. Child neglect is a failure by parents or caregivers to provide for a child’s basic physical, educational, and emotional needs. It is difficult to define because it varies with the age and development of the child
