| Popis: |
Child neglect is the most commonly referred and re-referred form of maltreatment reported to child protection services in Australia, with the number of notifications continuing to grow despite the implementation of new legislation, policies and systems for protecting children over the last decade. Infants and toddlers under four years of age are the most vulnerable and most likely to suffer the devastating consequences of neglect. The early years are a critical period in terms of neuronal development in the brain, and the stage-salient processes involved in children's immediate and ongoing psychological and physical development. It is also the period during which they are at increased risk of serious injury and fatality. Yet the unique nature of neglect in this age group continues to be inadequately responded to both in practice and in research. This thesis draws attention to the urgent need for a broad and concise, child-centred and needs-based definition of neglect that focuses specifically on this highly vulnerable age group. Improved understandings of and responses to child neglect have been held back by the lack of agreement about what constitutes neglect, and how best to define and measure it. While some progress has been made towards a conceptual definition of neglect in early childhood, research is needed to advance the development of a definition that is both conceptually sound and operational. The primary and concomitant aims of the research were to gain a better understanding of the nature of neglect in infancy and early childhood and to further the development of a conceptual and operational definition of the problem. The second aim of the project was to establish reliable statistical data relating to the notification rate and the pattern of referral for infants ( |
