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Abstract
Family reunification offers a potential route to permanency for looked after children, which is a key issue in contemporary social care.
This book provides an authoritative, concise critical review of the research findings available in the UK and the USA, as well as a helpful guide to the problems and pitfalls in interpreting the research evidence. It assesses the key factors associated with the probability of reunification, the impact of child and parent characteristics, placement reasons, contact, motivation and the nature of social work services, the effectiveness of specialist reunification services in the USA and the outcomes of reunion, including studies which have reported on re-abuse, re-entry to care and psychosocial outcomes.
Professor Nina Biehal is Research Director at the Social Policy Research Unit of the University of York. She is leads work on vulnerable children, children in care and young people. Previously a social worker, Nina has been involved in child welfare research for many years. Her research interests focus particularly on social work with older children and adolescents. She has published widely on leaving care, runaways from care, family support and missing persons.