Understanding Reunification

Fostering children has been one of the greatest honors of my life. It’s a calling filled with joy, heartbreak, growth, and, at times, deep surrender. Over the years, I’ve said goodbye to many children who’ve passed through my home. Each farewell holds a different kind of weight. Some are bittersweet. Some are heart-wrenching. But many are joy-filled because they mark the beautiful journey of reunification.

Reunification is the goal of foster care. It’s what we hope for when a child is first placed in our home—that the family they came from can heal, grow, and become a safe and loving place for them to return to. And when that happens, when the reason for removal has been corrected or significantly improved, we celebrate—not because it’s easy to let go, but because restoration is always worth rejoicing.

Still, we know reunification doesn’t mean things will be perfect. Life rarely is. But we believe in a God writing each child’s story with love and purpose. Even when we don’t understand the whole picture or the battles behind the scenes, we trust He sees. And we trust that we were faithful for the season we were entrusted with this child.

Faithful to love.
Faithful to nurture.
Faithful to create space for healing.

As foster parents, we glimpse Christ’s love for the child and their family. Our role is not to judge or to hold on tightly but to open our hearts and homes, to stand in the gap, and to reflect grace. If we’ve done our job well, we’ve not only impacted a child's life but also touched the hearts of families, reminding them that redemption is possible and change is worth fighting for.
We may not always see the fruit immediately, but we plant seeds of hope and trust God with the harvest. When reunification happens, we cheer through tears, knowing we’ve been a part of something holy.

Because every child deserves a story that includes healing—and sometimes, that story brings them home
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By Lisa McGinnett, Western Slope Director