In North Carolina, family reunification is a central goal of the child welfare system, aiming to safely return children in foster care to their families whenever possible.

REUNIFICATION

North Carolina

Reunification as a Primary Outcome: Historically, reunification has been the most common outcome for children exiting foster care in North Carolina. For instance, in 2011, approximately 46.5% of children who left foster care were reunified with their families.

Current Data Availability: While specific recent percentages are not detailed in the provided sources, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) maintains comprehensive child welfare statistics, including data on foster care entries and exits, which can offer insights into reunification trends .

Timing

Time to Reunification Goals

The NCDHHS has set targets to reduce the time children spend in foster care before reunification. By 2025, the goals are:

  • Children aged 0–3 years: Reduce median days to reunification from 371 to 334.

  • Children aged 4–5 years: Reduce from 390 to 351 days.

  • Children aged 6–8 years: Reduce from 371 to 334 days.

Services

Family Reunification Services and Monitoring

To support reunification efforts, North Carolina provides various services, including:

  • Counseling: Individual, group, and family counseling sessions.

  • Substance Abuse Treatment: Inpatient, residential, or outpatient services.

  • Mental Health Services: Access to mental health professionals and programs.

  • Domestic Violence Services: Support for families affected by domestic violence.

  • Visitation Facilitation: Assistance in arranging and facilitating visits between children and their families.

  • Transportation: Services to help families attend counseling, treatment, and visitation sessions

    Effective January 1, 2023, county child welfare agencies are required to submit annual reports and plans detailing their family reunification services and outcomes. This initiative aims to enhance accountability and improve reunification processes statewide.

Statistics

NC Governor Proclaims Reunification Month

Statewide Reunification Trends

  • Reunification Rates: In the 2022–23 fiscal year, approximately 30% of the 5,020 children who exited foster care in North Carolina were reunified with their parents. theassemblync.com

  • Time to Reunification: The median duration from removal to reunification was 11.7 months.

  • Reunification Within 12 Months: About 57% of children were reunified within 12 months of entering foster care.

  • Reentry into Foster Care: In 2021, 8.3% of children reentered foster care within 12 months of a prior episode, indicating an upward trend from previous years.

County-Level Variations

Reunification outcomes vary significantly across counties:

  • Durham County:

    • Reunification Rate: 20% of children discharged from foster care were reunified.

    • Median Time to Reunification: 15.1 months.

  • Wake County:

    • Reunification Rate: 25%.

    • Median Time to Reunification: 16.1 months.

  • Person County:

    • Reunification Rate: 67%.

    • Median Time to Reunification: 7.4 months.

  • Franklin County:

    • Reunification Rate: 17%.

    • Median Time to Reunification: 17.5 months.Age-Based Reunification Goals

Accessing More Data

For more detailed and recent statistics on family reunification in North Carolina, you can explore the following resources:

  • NCDHHS Child Welfare Statistics: Provides annual reports and data on child welfare services.

  • NC Child Data Center: Offers insights into child well-being and welfare metrics across the state.

  • Child Welfare Outcomes Data Site: A federal resource with state-by-state child welfare data.

Reunification Month- June 2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina
A Proclamation

READ FULL PROCLAMATION

Reunification From Foster Care: A Guide for Parents

This fact sheet focuses on the steps that will help parents navigate the process of reunifying with their children from foster care. It introduces the team that will work with them throughout the process and discusses their rights as parents. It explains how they will work with their caseworker to make a plan for reunification and describes how partnering with their child's resource parent can help bring them and their family together again.

Credit: Child Welfare Information Gateway

DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET