Which term describes failure to provide basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision?

• A. Neglect
• B. Harm
• C. Emotional neglect
• D. Institutional abuse

Answer: (A)

Neglect describes failing to provide a child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision. This situation places the child’s safety and well-being at risk because essential care isn’t being met. In child welfare terms, neglect is about not supplying the essentials a child needs to grow and stay safe, not necessarily about causing harm or injury. For example, a caregiver who doesn’t provide meals, appropriate clothing, medical care, or reasonable supervision is neglecting the child’s basic needs. The other terms don’t fit as well: harm covers injury or risk of injury in a broader sense, emotional neglect focuses specifically on the absence of emotional support and nurturing, and institutional abuse refers to abuse occurring within an institution, which is a more specific setting.