Thank you, Elise.  As usual, you are spot on.  It's a tragic and heartbreaking situation that I have seen played out again and again.  As a society we should and must protect our children, but the interests and "rights" of the adults are usually given more weight and consideration.  I don't know if it has changed in recent years, but when I was involved in trying to save innocent children from parents incapable of caring for their children, I read the Federal statute relating to child welfare and it was spelled out quite clearly that the "intent" of the act was "to keep families together".  This was and is often done to the harm and detriment of the child.  In my opinion, the best interests for the welfare of a child must take priority over keeping a dysfunctional family together.