June 30, 2025
Reunification is a journey of hope, healing, and home; celebrating National Reunification Month
Every June, National CASA/GAL proudly joins the nation in celebrating National Reunification Month. It is a time to reflect upon the strength of families who work tirelessly to reunite and the dedicated CASA and GAL volunteers who walk alongside them every step of the way.
The goal of foster care is ideally for children to return to their families, relatives, or fictive kin of origin. Kinship care is the next best thing to being with a child’s parents, because it keeps the child within their family, community, and culture.
Reunification remains the most common outcome for children leaving foster care, reflecting the child welfare system’s commitment to preserving and restoring families whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so.
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Administration for Children and Families (AFCARS) for fiscal year 2023, 184,094 children exited foster care, and approximately 44% of them (around 80,856 children) were reunified with their families.
Whenever it is safe and possible, reunification is the preferred outcome for children who have been removed from their homes. It represents healing, growth, and the restoration of a family unit. While the path to reunification is rarely easy, it is often the most rewarding and beneficial for families and children.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and GAL (Guardian ad Litem) volunteers are uniquely positioned to support children and families on the road to reunification. CASA/GAL volunteers are trained advocates who work closely with children in court and the child welfare system, most of whom are in foster care, ensuring their voices are heard and their best interests are represented in court and beyond.
CASA/GAL volunteers advocate for services that help parents overcome challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, substance use disorder, and access to mental health care. By championing the needs of both children and their families, CASA/GAL volunteers help create the conditions necessary for safe and lasting reunification.
With 44% of children reunited with their families, it is the most common outcome for children in foster care. It is a journey of resilience for the children, parents, and CASA/GAL volunteers who support them. Behind every successful reunification is a team: parents who commit to change, caseworkers who coordinate services, judges who make thoughtful decisions, and CASA/GAL volunteers who persist in providing best interest advocacy, so the child is safe, has a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive.
This month, we acknowledge and celebrate the families who have reunited, the children who have returned home, and the CASA/GAL volunteers who have made a positive difference. Their stories inspire us and remind us that with the right support, reunification is an imperative and achievable goal.
Every child deserves a safe, loving, and permanent home. If you believe in the power of family and want to be part of a child’s journey toward reunification, consider becoming a CASA or GAL volunteer. Your advocacy can truly make a difference.