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Child neglect can come in many forms, leaving emotional and mental scars on the child affected. It’s incredibly sensitive and difficult to discuss, but healing can begin once individuals have found their coping mechanisms.
It’s been found that physical activity and sports have emerged as a powerful catalysts in mitigating the effects of neglect, helping children on the road to resilience and recovery.
In this article, we’ll be exploring the connection between sports and child neglect, providing insight into how this activity can provide a transformative space for those in need.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
What is child neglect?
Child neglect often occurs when an adult cannot meet the basic needs of the child. They may have been left to go hungry, unsupervised, or without clean clothing.
Children who don’t receive the appropriate love and care from their parents or carers may suffer emotional or physical damage. Bolt Burdon Kemp regrettably states that 10% of children in the UK are thought to have experienced neglect.
Physical neglect
This involves failing to protect a child from experiencing physical harm or providing them with a safe environment to live in. It also includes not providing them food, shelter, or clothing and allowing the child to commit or witness criminal offences.
Emotional neglect
Children need love, care and attention from their parents or carers. Failure to do this will cause the child to experience emotional harm, and therefore, emotional neglect. You could consider making an abuse claim against those who neglected you, especially if it has severely impacted your adult life.
Medical neglect
This occurs when a child is not provided with the relevant health or dental care they require. It also involves the caregiver ignoring medical recommendations specific to the child.
Educational neglect
This refers to the failure of ensuring a child receives an appropriate education and depriving them of proper nurture and stimulation. Children have a legal right to an education.
How sports have had positive effects on children with trauma
Children who suffer abuse, violence, or other types of trauma in the home are more likely to become seriously ill throughout adult life.
These are referred to as adverse childhood experiences, which range from physical, mental or verbal abuse to exposure to domestic violence, drug use or watching relationships break down. These experiences usually occur before the age of 18, having a significant impact on the child’s development.
With growing evidence suggesting that early life trauma leads to changes in neurological, immunological, and hormonal development, it’s no surprise that potentially harmful effects on health can be suffered by these individuals.
Those who are constantly exposed to stress mean their bodies may have become permanently prepared to respond to such trauma, increasing strain on the body overall.
However, studies have found that abused or neglected children who play sports are less likely to develop mental illnesses. The results confirmed a strong link between adverse childhood experiences and mental illness, but regular participation in sports displayed a positive effect against such mental health issues.
While there are certain benefits when it comes to the improvement of cardiovascular levels, the impact of building friendships and creating a support network is incredibly helpful for those who have struggled with forming strong relationships with loved ones in early life.