Great post, Eq.
And I think that ALL children want to feel that someone cares, not just those involved with Social Services. Time after time I read on here about the difficult paths that adults follow in order to fill the need stemming from not feeling cared for as a child.
I always thought that "Love is the answer" was a fluffy, hippy phrase. Now I know it isn't.
*edit* and I learned through Al-anon that "Let it begin with me" is an enormously powerful phrase.