Essay
HF #612
Modifying the definition of neglect
I agree with this bill because it defines neglect in perfect terms. Overall I agree with this bill more than disagree with it. One of the things it states that neglect is, “ failure by a person responsible for a child’s care to supply a child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, health, medical or other care required for the child's physical or mental health” (HF 612 as Introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024), n.d.). I completely agree with this definition of what child neglect is because a child should be properly cared for and provided with these things otherwise it is neglecting a childs needs that they need in life.
A second thing that is considered child neglect in this bill that I agree with completely is it states that child neglect is “failure to protect a child from conditions or actions that seriously endanger the child’s physical or mental health when reasonably able to do so, including growth delay, which may be referred to as a failure to thrive, that has been diagnosed by a physician snd is due to parental neglect” (HF 612 as Introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024), n.d.). I agree with this because if the childs physical and mental health is not being watched then that is one of the things that I would consider neglect. If you can not protect a child from unsafe conditions and it is endangering them then that is considered child neglect.
A third thing that I agree is child neglect is that in this bill it says that child neglect is “emotional harm from a pattern of behavior that contributes to impaired emotional functioning of the child which may be demonstrated by a substaintial and observable effect in childs behavior”. I agree with this because some parents emotionally abuse their children all the time. Sometimes they don’t even know that they are doing it but it is still considered child abuse. Parents need to know and understand what child neglect is otherwise they should not be able to have any parental oppertunites, whether that is having their own kids, fostering kids, or even adopting a child.
One reason that I disagree with this bill is because it states that child neglect is “obsruction or deprivation of a childs accessable and cultural language”. I disagree with this because some parents may be unable to provide their child with their own cultural language. Today some people may struggle to have the resources where they are able to provide their child with their own cultural language. They might not be able to provide their child with their cultural language, weather they are not accessable to it what so ever, or they simple can not afford it.
HF 612 as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024). (n.d.). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF612&version=0&session=ls93&session_year=2023&session_number=0