of the juvenile court as to dependent or neglected children. These chapters were enacted for the particular purpose of “establish[ing] an effective state and local system for the protection of children from abuse or neglect.” SDCL 26-8A-1. In so doing, the law requires that these statutes be liberally construed in favor of the child, the parents, and the state. SDCL 26-7A-6. The numerous constitutional safeguards embedded within chapters 26-7A and 26-8A also afford substantial protection. Similar provisions cannot be found in the more general Guardianship Act. [¶ 11.] The Department of Social Services (DSS) cannot be bypassed when custody is being involuntarily taken from a natural parent in favor of a non-parent. See SDCL 26-8A-27; Matter of Z.Z., 494 N.W.2d 608, 610 (S.D.1992) (<HOLDING>). Abuse and neglect allegations trigger the
holding that the guardianship must terminate unless the guardian proves by clear and convincing evidence that the petitioning parent is either unfit or has forfeited the right to custody holding that when the child was removed from the home because of the fathers actions the mother who had never been adjudicated an unfit parent had a superior right to custody as against third parties recognizing that the child custody act required that the natural parent presumption must be seriously considered and heavily weighted in favor of the parent but that the presumption is rebutted if the clear and convincing evidence establishes that the best interest of the child is served by awarding custody to the third party recognizing strong presumption in favor of parents right to custody absent misconduct or neglect which renders the parent unfit holding custody and guardianship of child whose natural parent is adjudicated unfit mandatorily vests with social services