A comparison between neglect and adoption

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My highlights are in red.

Education Committee (2012) Education Committee - Fourth Report :: Children first: the child protection system in England [online]. London: Commons Select Committee. [Accessed 07 November 2012].
Available at: <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmeduc/137/13702.htm>.

Section 2.51

The long-term consequences of neglect

51. There is overwhelming academic and research evidence of the long-term damage of neglect,[50] echoed in written submissions to our inquiry. The NSPCC has set out some of the known effects on children's development:

Apart from being potentially fatal, neglect causes great distress to children and is believed to lead to poor outcomes in the short- and long-term. Possible consequences include an array of health and mental health problems, difficulties in forming attachment and relationships, lower educational achievements, an increased risk of substance misuse, higher risk of experiencing abuse as well as difficulties in assuming parenting responsibilities later on in life (Taylor & Bridge 2005). Glaser's (2000) review of work carried out in the fields of neuro-biology and developmental psychology showed that emotional neglect can have adverse effects on the development of a child's brain. A longitudinal study on children whose mothers were neglectful and emotionally unavailable indicated that children grew up to be socially withdrawn, inattentive and cognitively underachieving in their elementary-school years (Erickson & Egeland 1996).[51]

52. The RCPCH told us: "We know that neglect damages children's development and has neurobiological consequences and we know that the effects of neglect are cumulative and pervasive. Early recognition is necessary to avoid long term damage. The risk of fatalities is high and may be as high as other forms of abuse. Neglect also causes children to have low self esteem, feel isolated, disengaged and socially disconnected. Adolescent neglect is also widespread and can be linked to suicide and death or serious injury from risk-taking behaviour."[52] The National Association of Head Teachers described the long term effects of neglect as just as "catastrophic for children and young people as other forms of abuse" and highlighted the impact upon education as well as wider behaviour such as chaotic drug and alcohol use, violence, criminal behaviours, early sexualisation and vulnerability to exploitation".[53]

Gibson, K (2009) Differential parental investment in families with both adopted and genetic children. Evolution & Human Behavior [online]. 30(3) pp.184-189 [Accessed 07 November 2012]. Available at: <http://www.ehbonline.org/article/s1090-5138(09)00003-8/abstract>

Abstract
Stepchildren are abused, neglected and murdered at higher rates than those who live with two genetically related parents. Daly and Wilson used kin selection theory to explain this finding and labeled the phenomenon “discriminative parental solicitude.” I examined discriminative parental solicitude in American households composed of both genetic and unrelated adopted children. In these families, kin selection predicts parents should favor their genetic children over adoptees. Rather than looking at cases of abuse, neglect, homicide and other antisocial behavior, I focused on the positive investments parents made in their children as well as the outcomes of each child. The results show that parents invested more in adopted children than in genetically related ones, especially in educational and personal areas. At the same time, adoptees experienced more negative outcomes. They were more likely to have been arrested, to have been on public assistance and to require treatment for drug, alcohol or mental health issues. They also completed fewer years of schooling and were more likely to divorce. In adoptive families, it appears that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Parents invest more in adoptees not because they favor them, but because they are more likely than genetic children to need the help. I conclude that discriminative parental solicitude differs in adoptive and step households because adoptive families generally result from prolonged parenting effort, not mating effort like stepfamilies.

Keywords: Adoption, Kin selection, Parental investment, Discriminative parental solicitude