aring ▁practices . ▁Research ▁shows ▁that ▁neglect ▁often ▁co exists ▁with ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁ab use ▁and ▁advers ity . ▁While ▁neglect ▁generally ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁parent al ▁care ▁and ▁the ▁chron ic ▁failure ▁to ▁meet ▁children ' s ▁basic ▁needs , ▁defining ▁those ▁needs ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁straightforward . ▁In ▁" Work ing ▁T ogether ", ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁Education ▁and ▁Sk ills ▁( Un ited ▁Kingdom ) ▁defined ▁neglect ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁as : ▁ ▁... the ▁persistent ▁failure ▁to ▁meet ▁a ▁child ' s ▁basic ▁physical ▁and / or ▁psych ological ▁needs , ▁likely ▁to ▁result ▁in ▁the ▁serious ▁imp air ment ▁of ▁the ▁child ' s ▁health ▁or ▁development . ▁Neg lect ▁may ▁occur ▁during ▁pre gn ancy ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁mat ernal ▁subst ance ▁ab use . ▁Once ▁a ▁child ▁is ▁born , ▁neglect ▁may ▁involve ▁a ▁parent ▁or ▁car er ▁failing ▁to ▁provide ▁ade qu ate ▁food , ▁cl othing ▁and ▁shelter ▁( including ▁ex clusion ▁from ▁home ▁or ▁abandon ment ); ▁protect ▁a ▁child ▁from ▁physical ▁and ▁emot ional ▁harm ▁or ▁danger ; ▁ensure ▁ade qu ate ▁super vision ▁( including ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁in ade qu ate ▁care - g ivers ); ▁or ▁ensure ▁access ▁to ▁appropriate ▁medical ▁care ▁or ▁treatment . ▁It ▁may ▁also ▁include ▁neglect ▁of , ▁or ▁un respons iveness ▁to , ▁a ▁child ' s ▁basic ▁emot ional ▁needs . ▁ ▁Child ▁neglect ▁( also ▁called ▁psych ological ▁ab use ) ▁is ▁commonly ▁defined ▁as