ABSTRACT
This article discusses family reunification policy and practice. It begins with a discussion of the legal framework shaping family reunification policy and practice. It then assesses what is known about the factors that can affect the likelihood of children successfully reunifying with their birth parents. Next the article examines reunification within the broader context of child welfare outcomes and the problem of unsuccessful reunification-when children are reunified with birth parents only to later reenter the foster care system. Finally, the article concludes with a discussion of implications for policy and practice, with a focus on the key issues to be addressed if we are to improve the likelihood of children successfully reunifying with their birth parents.
