ly, became engaged in a struggle for their civil rights. At the same time, advocates for the rights of children also began raising their voices in protest. As a result of this activity, conditions for children have been steadily improving. For example, a growing awareness of child abuse during the 1960's and 1970's resulted "an almost explosive growth of interest in the problem of the child requiring protection" (Kadushin, 1980, p. 156). This, in turn, has resulted in the establishment of a number of organizations designed for the purpose of upholding children's rights. One of the most important changes since the 1960's has been the increased emphasis on family reunification in dependency court cases. Although the government has the right to remove children from unsafe environments, federal legislation in recent decades has focused on "requiring child protective agencies to try to support the family of a child rather than remove the child" (Hawes, 1991, p. 96). The movement for children's rights continues to be strong today and it shows signs t
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