Child neglect is a form of child maltreatment, a deficit in meeting a child's basic needs including the failure to provide basic physical, health care, supervision, nutrition, emotional, education and/or safe housing needs. Society generally believes there are necessary behaviors a caregiver must provide a child in order for the child to develop physically, socially, and emotionally. Causes of neglect may be from any of several parenting problems including mental health, substance use, domestic violence, unemployment, unplanned pregnancy, single parenting, and poverty.