We Need Guidance and Support, but How Can We Trust Those People? Parents' Experiences of Family Reunification Following Out‐Of‐Home Care

ABSTRACT This study explores parents' perspectives on needs for support in family reunification in the context of child welfare in Norway. A cross‐national challenge is the breakdown of reunifications, re‐entry to out‐of‐home care and frequent relocations for children. To develop services promoting more successful reunifications, there is a need for knowledge of birthparents' perspectives on the support required in reunifications. Twenty parents participated in individual, semi‐structured qualitative interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted, resulting in the development of three themes: (1) We do not trust those people; how can we then accept help from that service? (2) We need guidance to reconnect and money to make ends meet. (3) We need help to mobilize and coordinate a network. The findings reveal that parents express a strong need for follow‐up and support before, during and after reunification, although they state that this is not adequately addressed in practice. The study shows how trust in child welfare services is essential in reunification. The discussion focuses on the complexity of needs for help and support and how lack of trust could be a barrier to receiving support. We conclude that there is a need for institutional collaboration and tailormade support before, during and after reunification.