The impact of caregivers’ needs for re-entry among children in out-of-home care

For children in out-of-home care (OHC), reunification with their original caregivers (e.g. parent(s)) is the obvious and appropriate permanency goal when they enter the foster care system. Notably, some children who reunify with their parents experience future reentry into foster care. This study examines the relationship between caregiver needs at the time of reunification and the likelihood and timing of reentry within 1 year. Our sample included youth (ages 0–17 years) reunited with their original caregiver in the OHC from 2011 to 2021 (N = 12,667) in one Midwestern state and was analyzed using a Cox regression model. Among the children reunited with their families, 2,478 (19.6%) reentered foster care within the first year. Independent of demographic factors and child needs, we found that children with caregivers who have one or more behavioral, health-related, or socioeconomic needs face significantly higher reentry rates, which shows that caregiver needs significantly influence the likelihood and timing of a child’s reentry above and beyond the needs of the child being reunified. To support successful family reunification for children, policies and child welfare services would benefit from providing more practical assistance to families in times of need, ensuring the security and long-term well-being of both children and their families.