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Simple English definitions for legal terms
reunification
Read a random definition: last-proximate-act test
A quick definition of reunification:
Reunification means bringing a child back to their parents after they were taken away because of abuse or neglect. The government's main goal is to make sure the child is safe and happy with their family. They help the parents learn how to take care of their child better. Sometimes, if it's not safe for the child to go back home, they might be adopted by a new family. The government wants to make sure that children don't have to stay away from their families for too long.
A more thorough explanation:
Reunification refers to the process of returning a child who has been removed from their parents due to abuse or neglect. The primary goal of the state is to reunite the child with their parents, as long as it is in the best interest of the child. The state provides services to the parents to help them provide for their child when they return home. However, after the Adoption and Safe Families Act was enacted in 1997, states became more concerned with limiting the time that children spend in foster care and less concerned with lengthy reunification plans.
For example, if a child is removed from their home because of abuse or neglect, the state may place them in foster care. The state will then work with the parents to provide them with services such as counseling, parenting classes, and drug treatment, to help them address the issues that led to the removal of their child. If the parents successfully complete these services and the court determines that it is safe for the child to return home, the child will be reunified with their parents.
Another example is if a child is placed in kinship care with a relative or family friend. The state will still work with the parents to provide them with services to address the issues that led to the removal of their child. If the parents successfully complete these services and the court determines that it is safe for the child to return home, the child will be reunified with their parents.
These examples illustrate how reunification is the primary goal of the state when a child is removed from their parents due to abuse or neglect. The state provides services to the parents to help them address the issues that led to the removal of their child, with the ultimate goal of reuniting the child with their parents.