I say...
Watch and listen first, and ask yourself...
Is this child being abused?
In Massachusetts, abuse is defined as any non-accidental act by a caretaker
upon a child under age 18 which causes, or creates a substantial risk of,
physical or emotional injury...
Is this child being neglected?
In Massachusetts neglect is defined as the failure by a caretaker, either deliberately or through negligence/inability, to take those actions necessary to provide a child with minimally adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, supervision, emotional stability and growth, or other essential care; as long as that inability is not due to poverty or disability alone...
Does this child need to be protected from the adults charged with their care?
and
What is the harm to the child?
Physical Injury: like death, broken bones, blood on the surface of the brain, burns, internal injuries, swelling, bruising, addiction/exposure to drugs in utero...
Emotional Injury: an injury of impairment, a disorder of the intellectual
or psychological capacity of a child that can be as evidenced by observation or any substantial reduction in the child’s ability to function within a normal
range of performance and behavior...
Overcrowding and smoking CAN cause harm to a child...but so can peanuts.
You don't have to like how other people live or even share their values, but visiting Child Protective Services upon a family comes with a huge burden in and of itself.
Decision making motivated liability and the potential harm to self/career/license are emotionally motivated. Having some criteria around what constitutes abuse and what is the harm to the child helps people make more logical decisions even in an emotionally charged environment.
I hope this discussion has been helpful to you.