Neglect and the Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2)
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
- provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
- protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
- ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers)
- ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
- provide suitable education
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Working Together to Safeguard Children DfE 2023
National and local research shows that children are often left in neglectful situations without effective intervention causing long-term, harmful impacts. Neglect requires the same focus as all other forms of child abuse.
Graded Care Profile 2:
Sheffield has committed to address the harm of neglect by using the Graded Care Profile 2 from the NSPCC. GCP2 is an evidence-based tool that aids practitioners in measuring the quality of care provided to a child by their carer(s).
Practitioners can only use the tool once they have attended and passed a 1-day training course. Check eligibility and book here.
Sheffield Neglect Strategy:
The Graded Care Profile 2 is an integral part of the Sheffield Neglect Strategy, developed for the city to ensure the early recognition of neglect and improved responses by all agencies, so that the life chances of children are promptly improved and the risk of harm reduced.
E-learning:
Other relevant information can be found on this website here: Information and resources or in the index on the left side of this page.
If you are concerned about a child or young person, follow this link: Referring a safeguarding concern to Children’s Social Care