So, what exactly is a neglected child? Well, the actual legal definition of a neglected child varies from state to state. Let’s use the statute from the state of Ohio as an example. According to Section 2151.03(A) of the Ohio Revised Code, a neglected child is any child: (1) who is abandoned by the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian; (2) who lacks adequate parental care because of the faults or habits of the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian; (3) whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide proper or necessary subsistence, education, medical or surgical care or treatment, or other care necessary for the child’s health, morals, or well being; (4) whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide the special care made necessary by the child’s mental condition; (5) whose parents, legal guardian, or custodian have placed or attempted to place the child in violation of sections 5103.16 and 5103.17 of the Ohio Revised Code; (6) who, because of the omission of the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian, suffers physical or mental injury that harms or threatens to harm the child’s health or welfare; or (7) who is subjected to out-of-home care child neglect.

In this specific article, we are going to set our focus on 2151.03(A)(7)—a child who is subjected to out-of-home care neglect. Out-home-care, as defined in Section 2151.011(B)(27), "means detention facilities, shelter facilities, certified children’s crisis care facilities, certified foster homes, placement in a prospective adoptive home prior to the issuance of a final decree of adoption, organizations, certified organizations, child day-care centers, type A family day-care homes, child care provided by type B family day-care home providers and by in-home aides, group home providers, group homes, institutions, state institutions, residential facilities, residential care facilities, residential camps, day camps, public schools, chartered nonpublic schools, educational service centers, hospitals, and medical clinics that are responsible for the care, physical custody, or control of children." As you can see, out-of-home care includes child day-care centers, day camps, and a variety of schools—the very facilities you are likely to send your children to on a day-to-day basis.

Next, we’ll look at the concept of out-of-home care neglect in more detail.