I worked with abused children for nearly 10 years, mostly as a supervisor in treatment programs but, very briefly, as a child protectective service worker.   

I have not seen "Baby Bible Bashers" so I can't comment on the show itself, and obviously have no knowledge of whether or not those children are being abused.

I will comment on the information that theleveller provided, because it shows important points about child protective service work. First, I appreciate his concern in bringing the information to our attention. However, it does those children little good that the allegations are on Mudcat. Anyone who believes that the children are being abused has a moral obligation to report the abuse to the relevant authorities. U.S. citizens in certain professions also have a legal obligation to report it. Reports can usually be made by calling a "child abuse hotline". If no one has contacted the child protective service workers in the children's home counties, then no investigation will take place. If there is no investigation, there will be no intervention.   

Second, when child protective service workers get an allegation of abuse, they must consider two issues: is the allegation VALID and is the allegation FOUNDED. We'll consider the second issue first. An allegation is FOUNDED if it is shown to be true. (However, it does not necessarily need to be proved "beyond a reasonable doubt"; the standard of proof is not the same as in a criminal court.)

The other issue is whether the allegation is VALID. An allegation is VALID if the action reported WOULD BE abuse IF it were true.

Imagine that you are a child protective services worker. You get a call from a woman worried about the way her son's ex-girlfriend is raising their children. The grandmother says, "That woman smokes, and drinks beer, and sits around watching HBO. She hardly ever cooks (unless you call throwing something in the microwave "cooking") and the house is a mess and she never reads to the children. She lets her new boyfriend stay overnight, and she says curse words in front of the children, and she lets the third-grader stay up till 9 p.m., and she lets the older girl wear tight skirts way above her knees. Can't you take the children away?" What would you tell this grandmother?

I don't know how it is in other countries, but in the U.S. you would have to say something like, "No, I can't take the children away, not unless there is more to the story than you are telling me. Even if everything you say is true, those complaints are not VALID as abuse allegations. She may be a bad parent, but being a bad parent is not the same as being a child abuser."

When I read theleveller's initial post, I certainly see cause for concern. I see ambiguous statements that might represent valid complaints or might not. What I don't see (and please remember that I didn't see the show itself but only theleveller's post) is a clear statement of a valid allegation of child abuse. What (specifically)was the information that led to the conclusion that these children are being abused?

Kent