- Child neglect can be a consequence of family crisis, a parental condition, such as substance abuse, or stresses associated with the lack of resources.
Programs help by:
- Connecting parents to resources such as job training, social services, or access to health care.
- Providing for tangible needs such as food, clothing, etc. Not providing a child's basic needs - such as being homeless - constitutes child neglect in some states.
- Providing access to services such as battered women's shelter, mental health services, substance abuse counseling, etc.
|
- Programs have clothing closets with clothing that children can be given (e.g., winter coats) and/or food pantries where parents can get food for home.
- Linking parents with specific people in service agencies ("We refer people to people, not services.") providing transportation, if necessary.
- Responding to family crises such as evictions with immediate assistance and support from staff and other parents in the program.
- Ongoing support for the family from program staff through the crisis.
- Providing links to jobs, job training, transportation, and other means of economic security for families.
- Serving as an access point for health care, child care subsidies, and other services available to families.
- Initiating contact or inviting conversation if staff suspect there may be a problem or emergency with the family.
|
