Going Home: Predictors of Reunification and Reentry in Dutch Child Protection Cases

Sabine van der Asdonk1, Renate S M Buisman1, Lenneke R A Alink1

  • 1Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Child Maltreatment
|January 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Professional support for parents in out-of-home care significantly boosts child reunification rates. However, factors like parental history and placement instability increase the risk of children reentering care.

Area of Science:

  • Child Welfare
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Children in out-of-home care face challenges in reunification and reentry.
  • Understanding predictors is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify predictors of reunification and reentry for children in Dutch out-of-home care.
  • To analyze the impact of parental support and child/family factors on care trajectories.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 340 case files of children (0-16 years) in out-of-home care.
  • Bivariate correlations, Cox proportional hazards model for reunification time, and logistic regression for reentry.

Main Results:

  • 42% of children reunified within 6 years; 26% of those reentered care.
  • Parental professional support doubled reunification likelihood.
  • Placement shifts, parental maltreatment history, limited parenting capacity, and intellectual disability decreased reunification.
  • Parental maltreatment, domestic violence, and group care placement increased reentry risk.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted professional support for parents is vital for successful reunification.
  • Addressing parental history and improving placement stability are key to reducing reentry.
  • Interventions should focus on comprehensive parental support during and after reunification.

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