Parents who neglect often neglected themselves

By BreAndrea Rudolph [Minor High School]

In Tuscaloosa more than 600 reports about child neglect and abuse are made each year. But is it the parent or child who are being neglected?

Family and Children Services Manager David Massey of the University of Alabama said he believes the root of child neglect lies in the parents’ background.

“We tend to parent the way we were parented,” said Massey, who also noted the many issues such as childhood neglect, abuse, drugs, and mental health.

The National Child Protection Clearinghouse defines neglect as any serious act of omission or commission which, within the bounds of cultural tradition constitutes a failure to provide conditions that are essential for the healthy physical and emotional development of a child.

“We help the parents as well as the child,” said Judy Young, director of Family and Children Services.

Many programs such as Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS), and Child Or Parent Emergency (COPE) help parents as well as children in these situations. Both programs work with social workers, therapists and workers who teach parents how to take care of their children.

Many children are taken away from their parent because of the lack of basic needs, such as medical attention, proper food, clothing and protection.
If the parent or guardians fail to do so Family and Children Services will take over and send the child to a foster home.

There are more than 230 children in foster care and only 50 foster homes in Tuscaloosa alone. Young encourages anyone who sees a case of child neglect to call in.

“Only half of the reports we receive are actually founded,” Young said.

Children between the age of eight months and 12 years are more likely the ones being neglected. It also depends on the connection between the parent and child, and the child and another member of church, school or other organizations.

“According to statistics (age) 10 and under is the most affected when it comes to lack of supervision,” Massey said.

About 75 people work with child neglect in Tuscaloosa, and a little more than 3,800 statewide. Many lines are open to child neglect callers 24 hours of the day. Two out of 10 children are neglected or abused every day.

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