Youth Recommendations for Post-Reunification Support

During the April statewide OHIO YAB meeting, youth participated in a breakout session to share their experiences regarding reunification.

1.) What went well prior to reunification: "Receiving life skills classes while in foster care, being able to complete high school and preparing to go to college."

2.) What didn’t go well when preparing for reunification: "Being sent back to the same situation. The problems didn’t change. No therapy within the family. I didn’t have enough resources. Lack of engagement with all of the parents."

3.) What would have been helpful: "Getting access to more resources and skills. Having an attorney for the child. Having supports; I didn’t have any when I was reunified with my biological family and foster care was over.”

4.) Needs once reunified: What supports did you get? "Family but family was limited. I was still eligible for the therapeutic arts program. I received supports in getting a job."

5.) Needs once reunified: What supports didn’t you get? "No family support. Family support needs to include therapy and developing a skillset to do better. No help with job, child care or independent living post-reunification."

6.) What is needed post-reunification? Youth recommended the following:

• Caseworker check-ups post-reunification
• Follow ups at the 3,6, and 12 month marks
• Feelings of freedom/independence during foster care
• More family participation in therapy prior to reunification
• Stability when it comes to the biological home situation
• Family goal setting
• Goal setting when it comes to what will benefit the youth

7.) Additional notes from youth discussion:

• Lack of support and resources after being returned to their biological home
• Fear of returning to bio home based on past experience
• Afraid of change, nervous
• Not eager to return to a situation of chaos, appreciate structure that their foster placement provided
• Fears about lack of support during journey into young adulthood
• No therapy for family
• Request from youth: "Don’t just close the case."
• Discussion of the importance of goal setting and life skills
• Desire for the system to do more to: "Prepare youth for reunification."
• Have an advocate for the child or teen
• After care supports
• Limited bio family resources
• Extracurricular activities and child care
• Lack of stability (constant moves)
• Not just sweep family issues under the rug