Abstract
This paper discusses key issues emerging from a review of the literature on reuniting children in public care with their families, examining the basis for common assumptions about reunification. It focuses on three important issues: the evidence on the timing of discharge, the evidence on parental contact and the view that reunion is necessarily a positive outcome for children. Reviewing the research on the links between time in care and the probability of reunification, it argues that this research evidence has sometimes been misinterpreted. This has also been the case in relation to studies of the links between contact and reunification. The paper then presents the limited evidence on the outcomes of reunification, including evidence on re-entry, re-abuse and psychosocial outcomes, arguing that such evidence as exists clearly indicates a need for caution when returning abused or neglected children to their families. It is argued that greater attention to assessment, planning and follow-up support is needed if children are to be successfully reunited with their families and that more research is needed into the outcomes of reunification.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 807-823 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | British Journal of Social Work |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2007 |
Keywords
- reunification
- contact
- outcomes
- re-entry
- abuse
- OF-HOME CARE
- FOSTER-CARE
- SUBSTITUTE CARE
- REUNIFICATION
- REENTRY
- ABUSE