Most children placed in care will not return home
After compulsory placement in care, four in ten children return home. Of these, one in four re-enters care. Emergency care orders are often used and often come unexpectedly for parents and children. These are the outcomes of multidisciplinary research conducted by Leiden University.
This is the first study to examine the practice of out-of-home placement and reunification of children in such detail. Commissioned by the Research and Data Centre (WODC), a Dutch agency in the field of Justice and Security, legal scholars and family and youth care experts from Leiden University analysed the files of hundreds of children placed in care by juvenile courts in 2018 (out-of-home placement). The researchers monitored the children until the end of 2023.
‘The number of emergency care orders - 43% - really needs to come down.'
For years, academics, politicians and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate have expressed concerns about whether child protection workers are doing enough to reunite children with their families after out-of-home placement. ‘Human rights and children's rights are unequivocal: if it’s feasible in the home situation, a child should be reunited with their parents as soon as possible after out-of-home placement,’ says the report’s Principal Investigator Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Child Law. 'Our research shows that 39% of children placed in care were reunited with their parents. Of these children, one in four re-entered care within a few years.'
High number of emergency care orders
In 43% of the cases of children placed in care, this was done following an emergency care order issued in court. This is a crisis measure that is usually requested in court and issued by a judge on the same day. The parents and children are not heard beforehand; this is only done two weeks after the child has been placed in care.
‘Measure is at odds with the fundamental right to family life.’
This decision usually comes without warning for parents and children, leaving them unprepared for the child being taken away. This is often experienced as an extreme situation when sudden goodbyes have to be said. ‘This figure is very high, and we believe the number of emergency care orders really needs to come down,’ says Professor Bruning. ‘The measure has a huge impact on parents and children and is at odds with the fundamental right to family life.’
Read the study conducted by Leiden University 'Terugplaatsing na gedwongen uithuisplaatsing' (with a summary in English) and see the infographic.
Additional transfers lead to less likelihood of reunification
Following an out-of-home placement, 67% of children are placed in foster care and 27% are placed in an institution or crisis group. However, the children often do not remain there: 42% are transferred to other forms of care, for example from a foster family to an institution. On average, these children had to move more than twice in the five to six years that the researchers monitored them. In one case, a child had to move 13 times.
'A child is less likely to be reunited with their parents if they've been moved more often.'
Sabine van der Asdonk, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Education and Child Studies: ‘It’s very hard for children to move. They have to readjust to the new situation and establish bonds once again with their carers. Our research also shows that a child is less likely to be reunited with their parents if they've been moved more often during the out-of-home placement. So, it’s very important to minimise transfers as much as possible.'
More support for parents needed
If parents receive support during the time their child is placed in care, the child is more than twice as likely to be reunited with their parents. Professionals in practice say it takes a long time for parents to get help. Also, the level of support they receive is inadequate and child protection workers often change which means that getting support organised takes longer. Not only does this exacerbate the problems, but parents can also feel that being reunified with their child is not a priority.
'If parents receive support, the child is more than twice as likely to be reunited with their parents.'
Focus on support
'As there’s such a clear link between getting support and the likelihood of re-entering care, it’s essential that adequate support is made available on time. This can include family therapy or therapy to help parents process their own childhood traumas,' says Daisy Smeets, Assistant Professor of Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies. Parents and children also say they miss support following their reunification. 'They need aftercare. Families being reunited and suddenly together 24/7 can be challenging and situations can arise that went wrong in the past. Support and guidance are particularly important during this period.'
In collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and Security, Leiden University is organising a conference on 9 May 2025 for professionals and legal scholars involved in child protection. The conference will reflect on the outcomes of this research and consider improvements in the reunification of children with their parents after out-of-home placement. Registration for this conference will open late February.
Text: Helena Lysaght
Photo: Unsplash +