Family Preservation Spotlight

REUNIFICATION: SHIFTING POWER and RECONNECTING FAMILIES ALL YEAR LONG -

Celebrated in June each year, National Reunification Month recognizes the people and efforts around the country that help families to stay together.

Reunification is the most common outcome for youth in out-of-home care and foster parents can be one of the most important resources to help children reunify with their families. Social workers support families going through reunification by:

● Respecting birth parents and be compassionate by expressing genuine concern, being honest and letting them know your goal is to help them get their children back

● Encouraging visitation and regular contact, advocating for increased visitation whenever safe, encouraging children to have phone calls with family, especially during the week and multiple times per week & helping children video chat with their birth parents and family members

● Communicating with the family regularly by involving parents or other family members in school functions and meetings, stay in constant contact, send pictures, copies of art projects, grades info, and show a genuine interest in the family as a whole, not just the child

● Remembering that safe reunification is best for the children!

At Adoption Option, we have several programs focused on supporting families and the efforts made to reunify parents and children: Parents and Children Together (PACT), Parents Resource Education Program (PREP), Building Community Partners (BCP) and Advance in Home (AIH) services. Stay tuned for more info on these programs.