"Erring on the side of the Child"

Contrary to popular belief, there never has been a serious commitment in this country to safe, proven programs to keep families together. The actions of [CPS] are so colored by hostility to families that they flunk the "balance of harms" test. There is no recognition of the emotional upheaval the children would likely endure if they were taken from their mother, separated from each other... and then bounced from foster home to foster home. These actions reflect the most fundamental mistake made by workers and others in child welfare systems: the myth that the removal of a child may harm the parents, but at least the child will be safe. Over and over again, workers rationalize what they do by saying they're just "erring on the side of the child." There probably is no phrase in the English language more harmful to children than "erring on the side of the child." When a child is needlessly thrown into foster care, he loses not only mom and dad, but often brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, friends, and classmates. He is cut loose from everyone loving and familiar. Some children feel they must have done something terribly wrong and now they are being punished ...The emotional trauma can last a lifetime.  How is that "erring on the side of the child"? And that assumes the foster home will be a good one... But the rate of abuse in foster care is far higher than generally realized and far higher than in the general population. The record for institutions is even worse.  If a child is taken from a perfectly safe home only to be beaten, raped, or killed in foster care, how is that "erring on the side of the child"?  -- Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform (NCCPR) in Alexandria, Va.  Source- "When the Mask Slips" PBS Frontline "Failure to Protect" series Just like an alleged "dirty house" being alleged "neglect", there is NO LAW stating "If you can't find anything wrong in a home invasion, "err on the side of the child"- kidnap the kids anyway and slap them in Foster Jail, interrogate them and dope them out of their heads:  Lie to them, saying 'You can go home if you say something we want you to".  This system is infinitely more insane, evil and malfeasant than you can possibly imagine.