Best practices for rendering family reunification services to children in alternative care placements in South Africa

Children placed in alternative care have a right to be reunified with their families when the reasons that led to their removal have been addressed. Social workers are instrumental in providing a wide range of services to children and families. It is imperative to have best practice interventions that guide the implementation of family reunification services. In the absence of points of reference, social workers will experience challenges in rendering effective family reunification services. This article explores best practices for rendering family reunification services to children in alternative care placements. Social workers employed by five child protection organisations in South Africa participated in the study. 15 interviews were conducted, 183 questionnaires were completed. An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed in the study. Data was analysed using Cresswell’s model of thematic data analysis and a statistical package for social sciences. The paper analyses seven narratives of successful family reunification services to deduce elements that seem to lead to the success of family reunification. These elements are; parents’ willingness to change their circumstances, communication between all role players, and support from the social worker. Indicators for progress towards successful family reunification drawn from these cases are; maintaining regular contact with the child, contributing towards the maintenance of the child, good relationships between biological and foster parents, and biological parents’ involvement in programmes organised by social workers. The article concludes that social workers working in family reunification services should adopt these best practices. • The best interests of the child and the rights-based approaches are essential in rendering family reunification services. • Family reunification services should be accessible, relevant, appropriate, and comprehensive. • Social workers should find ways of building relationships with various stakeholders in family reunification. • The support, attitude, character, and passion of a social worker influences the success of family reunification. • Biological parents’ regular visits and contributions towards the maintenance of a child in alternative care is an indicator of successful family reunification.