Family Reunification Is a Distant Possibility for Some Children in Alternative Care: Practice Perspectives from South African Social Workers

Placement of children in alternative care is to ensure that they are protected while social workers address the circumstances that led to their removal. However, in the rendering of family reunification services, social workers have realised that some instances make it challenging for some families to be reunified with their children in alternative care. As such, permanency planning should be prioritised for those children to ensure their stability. This article explores factors that seem to make family reunification a distant possibility for some children in alternative care. Social workers employed by five child protection organisations in South Africa participated in the study. Employing a mixed-methods research design, data were gathered by means of interviews and questionnaires, and analysed using Creswell’s model of thematic analysis and a statistical package for the social sciences. The findings indicate that factors that contribute to challenges in reunifying some children in alternative care range from the circumstances of parents to the preferences of children. Although the reunification of a child with the family of origin is every child’s human right, such a right must be balanced with the child’s right to be protected from all forms of harm and neglect. We conclude that it is not all children in alternative care that family reunification services should be rendered to. It is recommended that further studies be conducted to explore how a rights-based approach can be used in identifying children and families that are not eligible for family reunification. Moreover, proper permanency plans and strategies should be put in place for such children.