Policy overview

Parenting Disabled Children & Young people Practice Guide

This page provides an overview of the policy and practice context for reunification from care.

The Practice Guide should be used alongside relevant legislation, statutory guidance and national reform guidance, including:

Children’s Social Care National Framework

The Children’s Social Care National Framework sets out the purpose of children’s social care, the principles that should underpin practice, and the outcomes that children, young people and families should experience.

Reunification supports the Framework’s ambition that children grow up in safe, stable and loving family relationships wherever this can be achieved safely.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Working Together to Safeguard Children is the statutory guidance for organisations and agencies working with children and families.

Reunification practice should reflect the guidance’s emphasis on child-centred practice, multi-agency working, early help and effective safeguarding arrangements.

Families First Partnership programme

The Families First Partnership Programme is the government’s programme for implementing children’s social care reform.

Key elements relevant to reunification include:

  • Family Help services
  • Family Group Decision Making
  • Family Network Support Packages
  • Strengthened multi-agency working.

These reforms support earlier intervention, supporting family networks and coordinated support for children and families before, during and after reunification.

Reunification legislation

This Practice Guide should be read alongside:

  • The Children Act 1989
  • The Children Act 2004
  • The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010
  • Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations, Volume 2: Care Planning, Placement and Case Review

Other relevant evidence-based guidance:

Go to back to the Practice Guide

Want to join our team?

Find out more about career opportunities with Foundations
View jobs

Keep Up to Date

Receive the latest news, events and research from Foundations.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information on how we process your personal data please review our privacy policy.

Cost ratings:

Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.

Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.

Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.

Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.

Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.

Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.

Click here for more information.

Child Outcomes:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Evidence ratings:

Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.

Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.

Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.

Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.

Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.

Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.

Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.

Click here for more information.