Parental visiting and family reunification: could inclusive practice make a difference?

This study examines whether inclusive practice, or parental involvement in foster children's lives while in placement, is correlated with more frequent visiting and a greater likelihood of reunification. This hypothesis was tested among a random sample of 230 twelve- and thirteen-year-olds placed in traditional family foster care. Results suggest that mothers who visit their child and are involved in case reviews and child care activities visit more frequently than mothers who visit in settings such as agency offices and have no other types of involvement. In addition, visiting frequency is highly predictive of reunification. These associations were not explained by maternal substance abuse, mental illness, or the child's placement history.