Concern for a parent’s ability to be an effective parent will come into question if there is any reason to believe a child’s physical or emotional well-being is at risk. Any history of neglect or substance abuse will often raise red flags on their ability to care for this child. Even if their condition is of no fault of their own, like a mental illness, the court still needs to carefully evaluate the risks based on the parent’s condition. Situations like these could cause a parent to lose the possibility for custody and only grant that parent a visitation agreement for the foreseeable future.