Generally speaking, a single mother working an overnight shift would not be considered neglectful if her two-year old was fed, changed, and put to sleeping a crib before the mother left the child unattended to go to work.

Generally speaking, a single mother working an overnight shift would not be considered neglectful if her two-year old was fed, changed, and put to sleeping a crib before the mother left the child unattended to go to work.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes true
• D. Not sure

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that neglect involves not just meeting a child’s immediate needs, but ensuring adequate supervision and safety. A two-year-old requires constant, attentive supervision because they can’t reliably stay safe on their own. Even if the child is fed, changed, and put to bed, leaving them unattended for an overnight shift creates a high risk of harm—from fires, injuries, illnesses, or getting into dangerous situations. So, in practice, the scenario describes a situation where supervision is absent during a vulnerable period, which would be considered neglectful.

The main idea is that neglect involves not just meeting a child’s immediate needs, but ensuring adequate supervision and safety. A two-year-old requires constant, attentive supervision because they can’t reliably stay safe on their own. Even if the child is fed, changed, and put to bed, leaving them unattended for an overnight shift creates a high risk of harm—from fires, injuries, illnesses, or getting into dangerous situations. So, in practice, the scenario describes a situation where supervision is absent during a vulnerable period, which would be considered neglectful.