Which of the following is a general term that applies to all forms of abuse and neglect of children?

The term that encompasses all forms of abuse and neglect of children is child abuse. This broad definition is used to refer not only to physical abuse but also to emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse is recognized as any action or failure to act that results in significant harm or risk of harm to a child’s physical or emotional well-being. The designation is inclusive, thereby capturing the various ways in which a child's health and safety can be compromised.

While child neglect specifically refers to the failure to provide for a child's basic needs, and child endangerment involves actions that put a child at significant risk of harm, these terms are more specific subsets and do not encompass the entirety of abusive behaviors. Child welfare refers to services that protect and promote the well-being of children, but it does not directly define acts of abuse or neglect. Thus, child abuse is the appropriate term that covers all forms of harm or risk affecting children in these contexts.