"The Children of Neglect provides researchers, practitioners and policy makers with a comprehensive overview of our collective failure to face the devastating consequences chronic neglect has on a child's development. Although more common and more harmful than child abuse, child neglect remains the least frequently studied and the most poorly understood of all forms of maltreatment. Drawing on over 400 references, Smith and Fong outline the strengths and limitations of existing theoretical assumptions and practice reforms, highlighting the unique role such issues as poverty, substance abuse and culture play in confounding our efforts to do better." -- Deborah Daro Ph.D., Research Fellow and Associate Professor, University of Chicago and Former director of the National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research"As Smith and Fong effectively argue, "doing better" will require more than altering public child welfare services or expanding the range of supportive services. It will require recognition of our shared responsibility to nurture and support all children at a level we know is needed to insure their healthy and safe development." -- Deborah Daro Ph.D., Research Fellow and Associate Professor, University of Chicago and Former director of the National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research

• AbstractChapter 1: The Problem of Child NeglectChapter 2: What is Child Neglect?: Definition IssuesChapter 3: What Causes Child Neglect?: Theoretical IssuesChapter 4: Public Policy and Child NeglectChapter 5: Treatment of Child NeglectChapter 6: Culture and Child NeglectChapter 7: Poverty and Child NeglectChapter 8: Substance Abuse and Child NeglectChapter 9: The Children of Neglect: Conclusions and Future DirectionsReferences