Reporting medical neglect effectively: a guide for nurse practitioners working with child protective services

Health care providers who suspect or observe medical neglect of chronic health problems in children are obligated to report the findings to Child Protective Services (CPS). Such reporting results in uneasiness for clinicians, who may jeopardize their therapeutic relationships with the patient and family, or worse, provoke them to withdraw from treatment. To the contrary, reporting medical neglect and discussing it openly and empathetically with the family can foster more cohesive teamwork and prompt families to address their problems. Knowing your state's child abuse laws, how to effectively report medical neglect, and how to communicate and collaborate with CPS caseworkers may result in the provision of therapeutic services to families. Enhancing family functioning can result in increased efforts toward caring for their child's medical problem.