Caseworker Visitation After Reunification and Children's Reentry Into Foster Care: A Survival Analysis.

To prevent children from reentering the welfare system, it is crucial to understand the role of caseworker visits after reunification on reentry and identify the factors related to reentry. Utilizing the administrative data of one Mid-Atlantic state, children who reunified with their families between July 2016 and June 2020 were selected as the study sample (N = 3,510). Reentry rates were higher for children who did not have caseworker visits after reunification than for those who did. The survival analysis revealed that male children, living in metropolitan areas, having a prior history of removal, having a behavioral issue, and court-ordered return increased the risk of reentry, while Black children, older children, having a last placement as trial home visit, and caseworker visits after reunification decreased the risk of reentry. The study suggests formally outlining policies for post-reunification caseworker visits and increasing collaboration between the child welfare system and court system.