The Relationship Between Use of Specific Services, Parental Problems, and Reunification With Children Placed in Foster Care

Research studies have found that for parents with children in foster care, use of problem-targeted services increases the likelihood of reunification. However, available research focuses almost entirely on substance abusing mothers, and rarely considers parents' use of parenting classes and counseling, services that are commonly ordered for most reunifying parents. This study examined the effects of parents' use of specific services on reunification. Findings suggest that in addition to parents' use of problem-targeted services, use or compliance with parenting classes and counseling services is also heavily weighted in reunification decision-making. Further research is needed to identify factors associated with service use and advance our understanding of the effectiveness of reunification services.