Reunification and Foster Care

In June, we celebrate National Reunification Month. It is a time to recognize the hard work of birth parents, the resilience of children, and the dedication of the professionals and foster families who support the ultimate goal of the foster care system, which is to safely bring families back together.

While popular media often focuses on the finality of adoption, the primary mission of the foster care system is actually reunification.

According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, the vast majority of children who enter foster care have a primary case plan to return to their parents or primary caregivers.

Reunification guides social workers, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), and resource family agencies. It is rooted in the belief that children thrive when they can safely remain connected to their biological roots, cultural heritage, and community.

However, for a child, this process can feel abstract, frightening, and uncertain. This waiting period includes supervised visits, changing "rules" as they move to new houses, and the feeling that loving a foster parent also betrays a birth parent.

As children navigate the complicated journey to reunification, books and stories can be a vital and powerful tool for validation and healing. Stories can explore:

• various emotions,

• transition,

• parental visits,

• belonging,

• connection, and

• living with a family that looks and speaks differently than you.

If you're looking for stories that examine these attributes and traits, visit Foster Book Club and discover a list of books that feature foster care representation and themes that resonate with kids in foster care ages 0 - 17.