fall between the cracks

fall between the cracks

To be overlooked, neglected, or ignored, especially due to mismanagement or disarray in the midst of a large or complex situation. In these overcrowded and underfunded public schools, many students end up falling between the cracks. The details of the enforcement of the law seem to have fallen between the cracks during its creation.
See also: between, crack, fall
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fall between the cracks

Also, fall through the cracks or between two stools . Be neglected or overlooked; also, not fit either of two alternatives. For example, Please make sure that either our department or yours deals with this account, lest it fall between the cracks , or Trying to be both teacher and parent, she fell between two stools. The variant using stools, with its image of a person falling to the ground between two chairs instead of sitting down on one or the other, was already a proverb in ancient times; in English it was first recorded about 1390.
See also: between, crack, fall
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • through the cracks
  • fall through the cracks
  • slip between the cracks
  • slip through the cracks
  • slip through the net
  • midst
  • in (one's) midst
  • in our, their, its, etc. midst
  • in the midst
  • in a sticky situation
References in periodicals archive
The sector mustn't be allowed to fall between the cracks while universities hog the limelight.
While rarely feasible to split large schools into smaller schools, it is plausible, as we have seen, to create smaller communities within the schools that reach out and individualize the material, with high expectations for learning that lessen the chance for students to fall between the cracks. This study aims to find out if Small Learning Communities have an effect on students' academic success.
Kerr said: "The seismic plates of Scottish politics have shifted...and the Labour Party must decide whether they are going to make a similar shift or fall between the cracks.
"They are not a registered charity, but they are a not-for-profit organisation, and they often fall between the cracks of all the criteria."
It is less likely that students "fall between the cracks" as they transition from elementary to middle to high school.
When the surface of nascent desert pavement becomes rough enough to interfere with airflow, small, windborne particles can drop out of that slow-moving boundary layer and fall between the cracks of the pavement's stone mosaic.
"Our customers -- like Kraft, Aetna, NBC and McKinsey -- are looking to manage exceptionally large numbers of contracts and make sure that no obligations fall between the cracks," said diCarta President Mike Kaul.
The children who fall between the cracks of social security include children with HIV, street children, and all children older than seven.
If these functions are broken across multiple systems and multiple areas of responsibility, it is easy for portions of an organization's security policy to fall between the cracks.
"Many patients with dementia currently fall between the cracks of the health care system between purely medical provision and purely psychiatric provision."
* Fall between the cracks is taking on new currency.
"We have players who graduate from college and go off on the satellite tournaments, but because of a lack of training, coaches or whatever, they fall between the cracks.
For this reason, they are likely to fall between the cracks and receive fewer services than other special-need populations.
But he is just one of many patients who fall between the cracks of a system that is creaking at the seams.
"If you're not responsive, something will fall between the cracks," notes Ernesta.