Indeed, those effects may well go on for generations, as a troubled parent will often produce troubled offspring of his own.

Every teacher in town knows a child hiding his emotions to protect a troubled parent; psychologists call it "parentification."

The poorest, most troubled parents aren't running around looking for charters.

In truth, few children can rescue a troubled parent.

And my life would make more sense if I had been his son instead of the offspring of the troubled parents who had failed me.

The problem is now intensifying, said the study, which added that the system of caring for the children of troubled parents was being overwhelmed.

Their troubled biological parents were declared unfit to rear them so they are, for each other, all that remains of their original nuclear family.

Foster parents were also given an increased role in determining when it was safe to return a child to a troubled parent.

Advocates for the strategy say that many troubled parents love their children and are willing to do what it takes to keep them.

She said that this could indicate that a child's behavior deteriorates whenever the child is around the troubled parent.