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The article explores the definitions of child neglect used by a group of mothers and local authority social service workers in England. The rate of reported child neglect in England has grown steadily from 13 percent of all registered cases in 1988, to 25 percent in 1993. The Children Act provides the policy and legal framework for the care, upbringing and protection of children in England and Wales. The sample consisted of 42 mothers of young children and 26 social service workers in a city in England. The mothers were recruited and surveyed in four different support groups for mothers of young children. The mothers' reported perceptions of greater harm to children posed by neglectful situations are of great interest. One study suggests that mothers hold themselves to a high standard, regardless of their own actions or abilities to provide. England continues to provide child protection services. In such an environment, more inclusive definitions will be hard to sell, even if it means more children will be protected.