ABSTRACT
Whether traditional, non-traditional or even composed in part by institutions and their staff, it would be hard to overestimate the importance of family, or its absence, in the lives of young people. In all the years that I have worked with youth and their families, I have never heard anyone say that they did not want a family. Almost without exception their families were very important to them, even when they were severely dysfunctional. The children, regardless of whether they were the abused, non-abused or abusive siblings, wanted to be with their family, or any family, just without the abuse or neglect. In fact, often it is the abused sibling who most mourns the loss of the abusive sibling. And, regardless of what they may have done, most parents want all their children with them.
