Neglectful parents are probably the most difficult to work with to bring about changes necessary to return a child home. There are usually a range of factors that contributed to the removal of the child including the condition of the home, the parents’ inability to adequately supervise the child, or the psychological or behavioral issues of the parents. While these are interrelated, changes must occur in each area before the child can return home.
Parents who exhibit characteristics of the apathy-futility syndrome can be very draining to work with, but those characteristics that make the parents most difficult are the same that need to be changed. Without change in the parent’s approach to problem solving and relationships, the neglect will likely recur.