Education Adviser, Lucie Welch, explains what Adolescent Neglect is, why it often goes unnoticed and the signs to look out for… 

When we think of neglect, our minds often go to younger children, those who have no autonomy and can’t vote with their feet. Due to this, we can miss signs of neglect in older children as they don’t always present in the same ways.   

The signs of Adolescent neglect can easily be explained away as “teenage behaviour”, which runs the risk of missing the underlying, and often serious, safeguarding issues that will have a profound effect on a young person’s health, development and life chances.  

The NSPCC report that around 1 in 10 children and young people in the UK report experiencing neglectful parenting or unmet care needs. This reflects research showing neglect is one of the most common forms of maltreatment experienced by children aged 11–17. 

What is adolescent neglect? 

Neglect is defined in Keeping Childrn Safe in Education as the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of health or development. This applies from birth, throughout childhood and adolescence, until a child turns 18.  

In teenagers this may present differently than with younger children and can include: 

• Failures in emotional care, love and connection 

• A lack of appropriate and safe supervision 

• Lack of support with education, routines or understanding their own emotions 

• Limited access to food, sleep, health care or supportive relationships 

• Inconsistent or absent parental involvement in decision-making or safety 

Research shows that neglect is the most prevalent form of maltreatment for young people in developed countries, yet it is often overlooked in adolescent populations as the children will often find ways to hide what’s happening- whether through masking or ‘making ends meet’ in their own ways- which opens the door to a huge number of contextual risks.  

Why adolescent neglect often goes unnoticed: 

Adolescent neglect rarely presents with obvious physical indicators. Unlike other forms of harm, it is typically characterised by a cumulative pattern of unmet needs over time, rather than isolated incidents that trigger immediate concern.  

This gradual nature means the impact can be overlooked, normalised or minimised, particularly within busy school environments where behaviour is often addressed in isolation rather than context. 

Several factors contribute to adolescent neglect being missed: 

• Assumptions about teenage resilience. Adolescents are frequently viewed as more independent and emotionally robust than younger children. This can lead to an underestimation of how profoundly unmet emotional, practical or supervisory needs affect their wellbeing, development and decision-making.

• Behaviour being attributed to normal adolescent development. Changes in mood, disengagement from learning, risk-taking or withdrawal are often explained as typical teenage behaviour. Without professional curiosity, these responses may mask deeper issues related to neglect rather than developmental stages.

• Fragmented information and limited multi-agency oversight. Concerns may be held in isolation by different professionals or recorded inconsistently, meaning patterns of neglect are not always identified. Without strong information-sharing and clear record-keeping, the cumulative impact on the young person can be missed.

• Barriers to disclosure for young people. Teenagers may feel embarrassed, loyal to their family or fearful of consequences if they speak openly about difficulties at home. Some may not recognise their experiences as neglect, having lived with unmet needs for an extended period.

Recognising neglect in adolescence requires professional curiosity, contextual safeguarding awareness and a shift away from viewing behaviour as problematic in itself. Instead, behaviours should be understood as potential indicators of unmet need.  

For DSLs and school staff, noticing patterns, asking reflective questions and maintaining a safeguarding lens are essential to ensuring vulnerable young people are not overlooked. 

Signs and symptoms staff should be aware of: 

Neglect in adolescence is easily misinterpreted as typical teenage moodiness, withdrawal or growing independence.  

Without clear and consistent safeguarding training, DSLs and school staff may overlook accumulative or context-driven concerns, particularly when behaviours appear low-level or develop gradually over time.  

This can result in early warning signs being addressed through behaviour management rather than a safeguarding lens. 

Possible indicators include: 

Physical & practical signs* 

• Frequent lateness or absence from school
• Poor personal hygiene
• Inadequate clothing or unmet basic needs
• Unattended health and dental care
• Signs of hunger or tiredness

Behavioural & emotional signs* 

• Social withdrawal or isolation
• Declining academic engagement
• Risk-taking behaviours (substance use, unsafe relationships)
• Truancy or unexplained changes in behaviour
• Emotional distress including anxiety or depression

*These are not exhaustive but should prompt professional curiosity and discussion with safeguarding leads. Noticing a pattern matters more than any single incident.  

Staff in your setting should receive regular training around this topic as part of your CPD calendar- which includes: 

• the full range of neglect indicators, including emotional, educational and supervisory neglect 

• how adolescent behaviour can mask underlying harm or unmet need, rather than reflect defiance or disengagement 

• the importance of evidence-based observation, pattern spotting and accurate record-keeping 

• when and how to escalate concerns appropriately, including early help and referrals to children’s services 

High-quality training builds professional confidence and shared understanding across school teams. It reduces the risk of warning signs being dismissed as “teenage behaviour” or “hormones” and strengthens the school’s ability to respond early, proportionately and in the best interests of the young person. 

Eliciting the child’s voice: 

In effective safeguarding practice it is essential that young people feel heard, believed and supported. Understanding a teenager’s lived experience is central to identifying neglect, particularly as adolescents may struggle to articulate concerns or may normalise unmet needs within their home environment. 

To support this, school staff should prioritise open, non-judgemental conversations that allow young people to speak freely, without fear of blame or consequences.  

Helpful prompts may include: 

• How are things at home after school or at weekends? 

• Who do you feel you can talk to when something feels difficult? 

• Do you have everything you need at home- such as food, sleep or someone you could talk to? 

Creating safe and consistent opportunities for disclosure is equally important. Young people are more likely to share concerns when trust has been built over time rather than during moments of crisis. Schools can support this by: 

• planning regular wellbeing check-ins with identified staff 

• ensuring access to trusted adults the young person feels comfortable speaking to 

• signposting confidential support services such as Childline for additional reassurance and independence 

It is important to recognise that adolescents may not describe their experiences using the language of neglect. Instead, they may speak about feeling unsupported, forgotten or overwhelmed.  

Summary 

Adolescent neglect is common, harmful and often hidden, but with the right knowledge, training and professional curiosity, school staff are well placed to identify concerns early and respond effectively.  

Neglect remains the most prevalent form of child maltreatment and its indicators in teenagers may be behavioural, emotional or physical, so staff should ensure they are vigilant, apply professional curiosity and make sure they obtain the child’s voice to best understand their lived experience.  

DSLs can also signpost young people and families to specialist support such as the NSPCC for advice and professional resources, Childline for free and confidential support for young people on 0800 1111 and local children’s services for statutory intervention.  

Where concerns arise, schools should always follow their safeguarding procedures and escalate appropriately- neglect does not always appear as serious as other forms of abuse, but must be treated just as seriously as the consequences can be just as devastating.  

If any of this has got you thinking and you’d like more support or advice, our expert RSHE and Safeguarding Advisers can help. Contact us on safeguarding@servicesforeducation.co.uk for more information.   

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About the Author

Lucie Welch – Adviser, Services For Education

Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.

At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.

Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.