Neglect has been identified as the most popular reported form of abuse in Guyana. This is according to information gathered by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) headed by Anne Greene.
During a recent interview with this publication, Greene indicated that the agency continues to handle several cases of neglect even on a monthly basis.
For the period of January to September of this year, there have been 1232 reported cases of neglect with more than 1000 of the victims falling between the ages 0 to 13. Interestingly, the gap between the number of boys neglected versus girls is not that big. Of the 1232 victims of neglect, 664 are boys and 556 are girls. While the boys and girls between the ages of 0 to 3, who have been neglected, are also in the hundreds, the most vulnerable age group appears to be eight to 13 and this is the case for both boys and girls.
When Greene spoke to Guyana Standard, she said that Childcare finds that many cases of neglect do not appear willful. She said that it is oftentimes cases of deprivation.
Greene indicated that many of the parents are victims of poverty, “and you must know, that we do not criminalize poverty, but poverty is often the fundamental cases of neglect.”
Greene said that while poverty appears to be the leading cause of neglect, there are also several other issues that many further “complicate things.”
Mental health was highlighted as another cause. Greene said that parents need to be of good mental health in order to thrive in the execution of their duties.
“I am not saying they are mad but good mental health would mean that you are dealing with life’s pressures but you are maintaining balance. They are some who just cannot deal with life’s pressures. They got man problems, money shortage, they owe courts and the children suffer.”
Greene said that maintaining the required balance is not always easy for many, “and so we have recognized that parent’s mental health is creating vulnerability for children.”
Another factor that Greene said puts children at risk is substance abuse. Interestingly, the childcare expert told Guyana Standard that, among parents, the illegal substances are not proving to be the most dominant one.
She said that in most cases, alcohol is the problem, even among mothers.
“Sometimes the mothers are 10 times worst when neglecting their children because of alcohol,” said Greene.
The final factor pointed to was domestic violence. “This is another serious factor that also puts the children at risk of being neglected,” Greene said.
The childcare professional said that while the aforementioned factors play their roles, poverty seems to be the underlying factor as that alone is proven to contribute to the other factors.
Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for a child’s basic needs. It is abuse through omission; of not doing something resulting in significant harm or risk of significant harm.
There are four types of neglect: physical neglect, medical neglect, educational neglect, and emotional neglect.
Physical neglect speaks to the failure to provide food, weather-appropriate clothing, supervision, a safe and clean home. Medical neglect occurs when a parent fails to provide the necessary medical or dental care for a child’s condition while educational neglect speaks to the failure to enroll a school-aged child in school or to provide necessary special education. It can also include a child’s excessive absences from school. Finally, emotional neglect occurs when a parent fails to provide emotional support, love, and affection to a child.
