What Else?

Since I started my research paper on foster care my feelings have changed mostly because I am now thinking more about the children and the long term affects that the children have because of being in foster care. I thought from the beginning that people should have their kids removed if they were not being the parent they need to be. In some cases that may be true but in a lot of cases it seems like even if the situation is not what you or I may believe is ideal that the child would not suffer numerous long term affects if they were able to stay with their families. Most of the children at risk of being removed from health and welfare already have some sort of dysfunction in the home, what makes us all think that removing them from their families will not just compound that dysfunction? In what circumstances should a child be removed? In what circumstances should they stay? What other alternatives should be available for the families that are deemed at risk? What kinds of programs would be beneficial for these families to achieve the growth that the government would find acceptable?