In our office, we look very closely at the circumstances surrounding the referral and try to differential what is kids being kids and what is some very serious sexually abusive behavior. But sometimes the push to control young behavior goes too far. We'd rather spend a few million dollars in building a new juvenile jail than building a child guidance center. While families have all kinds of strange problems, it is obvious that the state makes a lousy parent. Kids raised by the state are almost always screwd up as a result.
Many social workers lack common sense.
Years ago many families were broken up by social workers merely because they were poor so social workers have a bad history. While the problems they have to deal with are real enough, I am not convinced social services have very good solutions. The first world countries are taking an insane path when it come to dealing with family problems. The justice system makes the problems worst instead of contributing to the solution. To some extent this whole problem is a product of the welfare state.