Reentry to Foster Care of Children Returned to Their Families

Reentry of children to foster care after they have been discharged to their families has been a concern of child welfare policy makers, practitioners, and researchers for many years. In this study, I use administrative data on a large cohort of children who were returned to their families to explore the effects of selected child, family, and foster care system factors on reentry. Child's age at discharge from care, race, health problems, and family's eligibility for an Aid to Families with Dependent Children grant were found to be associated with the hazard of reentry. The child's experience while in care, including placement setting at time of discharge, length of time in care, and placement stability, is also related to reentry. These findings are examined in light of research on family reunification. Difficulties in conducting research on foster care reentry are also discussed.