Office of Child Advocate Releases Report on Family Visits

Posted on 1/15/2010

Office of Child Advocate report finds that Quality “Family Time” Results in Shorter Foster Care Stays
and Provides Ways to Improve Family Visits for Children in Foster Care

Consistent, quality visits between parents and children in foster care can result in children returning home sooner and safely staying there, according to a Child Advocate report released January 14.

“Research demonstrates that when children and their parents participate in quality family visits, it results in shorter foster care placements and makes it more likely that children will return home and stay there. In fact, child welfare professionals largely consider visitation to be ‘the heart of successful reunification,’ ‘’ the report states.

The report goes on to highlight examples of quality visitation programs and practices both inside and outside New Jersey and offers important strategies for facilitating meaningful family visits, unless it is contrary to a child’s well-being to do so.

The full report, entitled "Protecting and Promoting Meaningful Connections: The Importance of Quality Family Time in Parent - Child Visitation" is linked to ACNJ website home page at www.acnj.org under New Publications.