Child maltreatment and reentry of adolescents following reunification in the USA.

BACKGROUND

Adolescents return to foster care for reasons that differ from younger children, yet little research has examined whether these reentries reflect newly reported maltreatment or ongoing behavioral health and family functioning challenges. Understanding these patterns is essential for designing age-appropriate reunification and post-reunification supports.

METHODS

We used linked administrative data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) with the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). Together, these data identify all child maltreatment reports and foster care episodes nationwide. Using a sample of 16,261 adolescents who reunified between the ages of 13-17, we explore the patterns and predictors of rereport and reentry, with an emphasis on understanding variation in repeated system involvement. Among adolescents who reenter, we additionally examine the longitudinal patterns of removal reasons.

RESULTS

87% of the adolescent did not reenter foster care after their first foster care episode. Among those who did not reenter, 44% did have a new maltreatment report. Among those who reentered foster care, 36% did not have a new maltreatment report, indicating that maltreatment reports and reentry are only loosely coupled for this age group. Adolescents with more placement instability and shorter stays prior to reunification had higher reentry rates.

IMPLICATIONS: Adolescent reentry appears driven primarily by unmet behavioral health and family functioning needs, underscoring the importance of stability-focused interventions, behavioral health supports, and post-reunification monitoring tailored to adolescent risk profiles.