Child neglect is the failure of a parent or other person with responsibility for the child to provide the food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, and supervision necessary for the child's health, safety, and well-being. Placing the child in physically or emotionally harmful situations is also child neglect. Courts take child neglect seriously, and a parent or other person with custody of the child who is guilty of child neglect may lose custody of the child, and may face criminal charges.

In North Carolina, child neglect is addressed under the state's child welfare and criminal statutes. Child neglect is defined as a parent or caretaker's failure to provide necessary care, supervision, or guardianship to a child, including adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or education. North Carolina General Statutes (NCGS) § 7B-101(15) provides a detailed definition of a neglected juvenile, which includes a child who does not receive proper care, supervision, or discipline from their parent, guardian, custodian, or caretaker; or who has been abandoned; or who is not provided necessary medical care; or who lives in an environment injurious to the child's welfare. If a court finds evidence of neglect, it can result in intervention by the Department of Social Services, loss of custody, and potential criminal charges under NCGS § 14-318.2, which makes it a misdemeanor to willfully or negligently fail to provide adequate care to a child under the age of 16. In severe cases, neglect can be prosecuted as a felony if it results in serious bodily injury to the child.