<qa>  What is the risk of child abuse and neglect?Children who have experienced abuse and neglect are at increased risk of mental and physical health problems throughout life. This places an enormous burden on individuals, families and society. Regardless of the severity of this abuse and neglect, these negative effects can largely be reversed if children are placed in secure, loving homes early enough in life. Placing children in nurturing foster placements can help them recover rapidly, but it is not known whether it is better for childrens long term development to place them with substitute foster or adoptive families or return them to birth or extended families. Efforts to improve the mental health of maltreated children in birth families or foster placements have had mixed success and researchers have recommended that far more intensive approaches are required. 