With the exception of cases meeting the expedited termination criteria, every new case coming into care should have a return home goal. All reunification efforts are based on the following principles:
· The child's health and safety is always paramount.
· The goal of family reunification services is to reunify families in a timely manner and, while children are in placement, to provide for their well-being and strengthen their connection to their family.
· Efforts to reunify families must take into account the child's sense of time.
· Family reunification is a dynamic process, based on the child's and family's changing needs.
As a form of preserving families, reunification encompasses:
· a belief that most families can care for their children if appropriately assisted; and
· an attitude that welcomes the involvement of any and all members of the child's family, when the child's safety can be assured. (Family is defined as any person or persons who are considered by the child and/or the family as family.)
Family reunification practice is guided by an approach that emphasizes the importance of improving the interaction between people and their community, promoting family empowerment and engaging in advocacy and social actions that enhance family functioning. This approach builds on the strengths and potential of parents and other family members.