I'm going to try to do this diplomatically, but I have seen this kind of home situation before.
The sending the kids off to other people, the unsafe number of people in one house, the constant moving and changing phone numbers.
Some call it poverty, and I've spent my whole life surrounded by it. I grew up in it, most of my siblings grew up in it and are living their lives now the same way they lived their lives when they were younger. No drive, no ambition, just, as others have said, survival.
The kids are usually fed, but fed well? Not so much. Instead of cooking, they buy prepackaged crap with food stamps, because it's easier and doesn't require too much clean up afterwards. Most of the time, it's convenience foods that the kids can microwave themselves. The heat might get shut off, or the car might not have gas to get the kids from school, but the internet always stays on. half the time you can't call because the cell phone ran out of minutes, and you simply have to wait until they switch to a company they don't owe, or they find a way to put more time on the phone.
The houses are usually dirty, and I see a lot of hoarding, they won't throw anything away, because they might need them later. Even the broken toys, and the outgrown clothes, everything mixed together, so the kids don't have anything nice to play with, and half the time, their clothes don't fit right, or anywhere near right. Coats and boots are usually not bought, so they wear the same jacket whether it's 50 degrees or -5, and the same tennis shoes year round.
I don't see that much abuse, but neglect is rampant. I can't tell you how many times I've asked after one of my nieces or nephews and been told, "Oh I don't know, it's so hard to keep track of that kid." Meaning that as long as they can call and be told the kid is fine or see them at some point between waking up or going back to sleep, they just assume the kid is okay. There's no checking of friends or babysitters, the kids simply go wherever their care is cheapest. There's no talking to them unless they do something wrong or the parent needs something.
The houses themselves are usually roach ridden all year, and flea ridden in the summer. Half the time the heater doesn't work and the other half of the time the air conditioner doesn't work. If they can pack three bunk beds in a room, they'll have six kids in the same room, or a couple kids sleep on couches or floors. The kids usually have to dodge broken windows, and broken down furniture, as well as everything else that the parents have the ability to fix, but not the drive. My sister and her four kids all lived in a 600 square foot travel trailer at one point. I have literally seen it all.
It's sickening, but it's life for a decent percentage of the country, and it doesn't matter what part.
