• When a child is removed from her home, the goal is to reunite her with her parents.wondering children image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
  
  Parents sometimes become unable to care for their children. If a child becomes neglected or the environment she lives in is no longer suitable, the child will be removed from her parents' care. In Iowa, the goal is for the placement in foster care to be temporary and for the child to be reunited with her parents.
  
  

Foster Care in Iowa

• Iowa's Department of Social Services defines foster care as a temporary solution when a parent or parents become unable to care for their child. Children may be removed from their homes if (1) there are allegations of abuse, (2) they have been neglected, (3) a crisis requires short-term foster care, (4) parents are unable to handle a child's special needs, (5) a parent is suffering from mental illness or (6) a parent or parents have an alcohol or drug problem. If a child is placed in foster care, Iowa's Department of Social Services attempts to work with the parents, so they can be reunited with their child.
  
  

Family Interaction

• Before permanent reunification, Iowa's Department of Human Services (DHS) works with the parent during a period of family interaction. Unless there is an immediate concern for the child's safety, family interaction should begin no more than five days after the child was removed. Because the goal is to eventually reunify the child with her parents, frequent contact is beneficial. The family interactions are necessary to strengthen the relationship between the parents and child, reduce any feelings of abandonment the child may have and limit the harm done by the temporary separation. DHS works with the family to create an interaction plan that encourages reunification by identifying and correcting any issues that led to the child's removal and creating a timeline for swift and safe reunification.
  
  

Reunification

• During family interaction, both the court and DHS will evaluate the parent or parents to determine when reunification is appropriate. Since 2008, in Iowa, 91 percent of children removed from their homes were reunified with the parent or parents, and that reunification took place within eight months, according to Iowa's DHS.
  
  Before reunification, parents are assessed to determine their ability to become full-time caregivers again. For example, if a child was removed because a parent failed to sufficiently handle special needs or behavioral issues, the parent must show improvement in her capacity to respond to the child's health or behavior issues. If there was a concern of neglect, DHS will examine (1) the parents' home to ensure safety, (2) whether or not the child will have proper supervision and (3) whether or not the parents provide affection and emotional support for the child. If a parent had an alcohol or drug addiction, she would be evaluated regarding her improvement and rehabilitation. Once in recovery, if the parent is able to provide a safe and stable home environment, the child can be returned to the parent's care.
  
  The goal of Iowa's DHS is for reunification to occur within six months. After reunification, the family is sometimes supported by family services and therapy sessions.