DCFS Steps for Reunification with Birth Parents

Cooperation

• When a child is taken away from a home it's because of situations going on in the home that are detrimental to the child. In order to begin down the path of reclaiming children and reuniting with them, the birth parents need to cooperate with the DCFS. A case worker will be assigned to the parents, and that case worker will be the guide who shows the parents what to do. The first step for parents seeking unification with their children is to work with the case worker so that they can make progress toward improving their unique family situation.

Home Situation

• If the birth parent's home isn't in good shape, providing an unhealthy environment both physically as well as emotionally, then it isn't a good place to have children. If parents can repair the home environment physically and keep it clean, they will prove that their home is physically safe for children.

Counseling

• Depending on the specific reason that the children have been taken away from their parents, such as a parent's substance abuse or behavioral issues, then the parent will need to undergo counseling toward correcting the problem. The counseling experience shows that the parent is attempting to correct the problem, and it gives professionals a chance to view the parent's progress and to offer an outside opinion as to how fit the parent is to reunite with her children.

Parental Rights

• Parental rights may be terminated involuntarily due to child abuse or neglect, abandonment, long-term mental illness of the parent, involuntary termination of parental rights to another child, and others which vary by state. In addition, parents who have agreed to surrender their children for adoption give up all parental rights, which means they have no legal rights to reunite with those children. A parent can only reunite with children if his parental rights are maintained.