Re: Re-unification?

["Portia Davis, Executive Director" <portia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Thomas,

Thank you for your quick response.  What if it is sexual abuse or severe
physical abuse?  Are there any peer-reviewed articles about reunification in
these two situations?

Portia A Davis, Executive Director
The Ross County Network For Children
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/3648/
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas R. Chibucos" <tchibuc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Child Maltreatment Researchers"
<CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2000 4:17 PM
Subject: Re-unification?


> I don't recall a specific reference for this right now, but I believe that
> such a blanket statement is not empirically supportable.
>
> Variables that exacerbate or attenuate the psychological effects of
> re-uniting parents and children are many, and include: type and degree of
> abuse/neglect; age of child; duration of abuse/neglect;
spousal/significant
> other complicity or lack of complicity; and availability of competent
> family intervention/support to change behavior.
>
> There may be--I am sure there are--numerous opinion pieces on this both by
> experienced professionals and by laypersons.  But, empirical support?  I
> don't think so.
>
> Perhaps one might want to ask: When is it harmful (if it is) to children
to
> re-unite them with parents who have abused/neglected them and when is it
> not harmful (if it isn't)?
>