What Happens When a Reunification Goal Changes?

Children

• When the goal of the court is reunification, children are placed in temporary housing, like a foster home, and prepared for a day when they can be returned to their family. When a goal is changed away from reunification, which can be done by the birth parents losing their parental rights in a court of law, the child then becomes a ward of the court and is eligible for adoption or permanent placement, such as a long-term foster home or group home, depending on the child's age and abilities.
  
  

Parents

• With reunification the court system offers social services to assist the parents in getting their home ready for the return of their child. They can be offered assistance with housing, heating bills, home repairs and food. However, when reunification is no longer seen as an option the social services offered will be more basic, and the parents may not get as much assistance as they would have otherwise. It is up to the social worker and the district if they wish to continue to offer services to parents who have lost their rights.
  
  

Psychological Services

• Families who are identified for reunification will often be offered psychological services and counseling with a goal to improve parent-child relationships. These services are typically offered by a master's or doctorate level psychologist. If the goal is changed, the court system typically does not continue to offer these services. The children may be offered additional counseling and parents may qualify for community-based psychological services, but the court will not likely pay for the family to meet for intensive therapy after a goal change.
  
  

Court and Social Workers

• In some jurisdictions, changing a goal can determine who is invited to participate in a child's planning meetings. If the parents' rights are terminated, thus changing the goal, the parents will no longer be invited to attend the child's meetings with social workers and they may also not be invited to attend court hearings. The duration and frequency of court appearances can change as well. For example, if a child is out of the home with a goal to return to the parents, most courts require a 90-day meeting or hearing. If a child is reunited with their family the court tries to phase out involvement and lessen the number of hearings and meetings.
  
  

Visitation

• To assist with reunification parents and children often meet on a weekly or more frequent basis. When the goal is changed or is expected to change, visitations can be tapered away. If the goal is changed and the child becomes a ward of the court, that visitation could be stopped entirely.