The Westboro Baptist Church Guilty of Child Abuse?

My topic is on the WBC and brainwashing their young children as a form of child abuse. These people are known for picketing funerals of fallen soldiers and much more. They bring their children along to these pickets and make them hold signs, and chant horrible things. Should this be a form of child abuse? Or should this be okay because these people have a right to raise their children how they want? My purpose in writing about this is because I wanted to learn more about these people and maybe see where they are coming from. The primary source I used is, godhatesfags.com. This is the churches website. My ideal audience is people of different backgrounds an religion.