I believe things will not change til:
1) There is more community support for those struggling with families. When being treated for addiction and alcohol abuse includes information to families, children included, on where to go for help if someone in the family is drinking or using drugs. to help the family member and themselves.
2) When Family Services, BCW, Child services, whatever you call it, is reformed so that well paid, experienced and supported workers are taught how to look for discrepencies and issues a child may not want to talk about, or actually deny.
3) I think that has to be reflected in Law, that children can be removed if law enforcement suspects something is, in the words of another poster 'hinky'. And that is really giving law enforcement alot of power.
Would you want your child taken if law enforcement 'thought' there might be something off? What if it's not warrented.
Just playing devils advocate here.
I truthfully think Family Services, or whatever they call it there, did their best. If the house was clean, there was food in the fridge, if the child didn't have marks or bruises, if the child wouldn't admit to abuse, if there wasn't LE called to a DV fight between parents where there was fear the child heard, saw, was effected by it (they can remove children in NY for this if they feel child is at risk),......
if there is no 'proof' there is little that can be done. If laws change, then maybe this would change. But I really don't know.