Many practitioners, policymakers, decision-makers, and systems of care operate in a manner that conflates poverty and neglect. A family’s inability to feed, clothe, or house their children is often perceived as child neglect, even though this inability may be a result of the family experiencing poverty due to systemic factors. The purpose of this report is to address the need to distinguish between poverty and neglect. If poverty is mistaken for neglect, it can contribute to the high rates of child neglect cases and result in child welfare and court involvement including the removal of children, the termination of parental rights, and reunification requirements that discriminate against parents experiencing poverty. In other words, when poverty is mistaken for neglect, in effect, the result is blaming and punishing families for their circumstances and ultimately harming the very children and families they are supposed to help. Addressing the underlying issue of poverty can help to decrease the likelihood of child neglect, avoid unnecessary child removal, and promote children’s and families’ healthy development and well-being.