Navigating Neglect
Toronto Treatment and Therapy for Neglect
What is Neglect?
Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide an individual, for whom they have the duty to care for, with the basic needs. These basic needs include adequate food, sleep, safety, supervision, clothing or medical treatment. In addition, neglect can include:
Failure to supervise, resulting in physical or sexual harm
Permitting criminal behaviour
Physical or medical neglect
Failure to provide psychological treatment
Abandonment
Educational neglect
Fortunately, there are many effective virtual and in-person treatments and therapies in Toronto that can help children who are struggling with the impacts of neglect.
What are Common Signs of Neglect?
Individuals who are neglected may show the following physical and/or behavioural signs:
Physical Signs
Poor appearance and hygiene
Unusual weight loss, malnutrition
Consistent hunger
Frequent illness or infections
Frequent accidental injuries caused by lack of supervision
Unattended physical or medical needs (i.e. dental work, glasses)
Consistent lack of supervision
Unsafe living conditions
Inappropriate clothing for the weather
Child’s failure to thrive
Behavioural Signs
Infants:
Constantly cry in hunger
Odd eating habits (i.e. eat really fast, throw up)
Indiscriminate attachment
Regressive behaviour (i.e. wanting a bottle)
Preschool and School-Aged Children:
Frequently “forgets” a lunch, or begs for food or money
Odd eating behaviours (i.e. hoard food, rarely share food)
Spend a lot of time at others’ houses or avoid going home
Frequent absence from school or not enrolled in school
Extremely withdrawn or extremely aggressive
Low self-esteem
Low academic achievement
Difficulty relating to children their age
States that no one is home to provide care
Adolescents:
Engages in delinquent behaviour or substance abuse
Frequent absence from school
Eating disorders
Constant fatigue
Difficulty controlling their emotions
Difficulty developing and maintaining relationships
Signs of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder
How to Support Children who are Neglected?
For instructions:
Create a list of small, realistic goals with the child that they can check-off as they achieve them
For social skills:
Use role-play to teach the child how to join a group
Use small group or assigned partner activities to ensure the child is included
For emotional regulation:
Allow for body breaks in a cool down zone, or if you know the child’s threshold for attention, include body breaks in their schedule
Neglect Support for Families
For individuals and families in Toronto struggling with the impacts of neglect, there are a variety of in-person and virtual treatments that may be beneficial, including:
Programs and groups for kids that focus on behaviour and self-regulation
Individual and family therapy
Social skills training
Dialectical behaviour therapy
Emotional regulation training
Play therapy
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy
Behavioural therapy
Parent training for behavioural management for kids