Parental Reunification
Understanding the Process & What to Expect
Reunification is a process, not an event. The goal is not to force a child and parent to reconnect. The goal is to create the conditions for a safe, healthy, and sustainable parent–child relationship when reunification is clinically appropriate.
Every family is different, so the process is individualized based on the child’s needs, the parent’s readiness, the family’s circumstances, and any applicable court orders.
For costs related to parental reunification, scroll to the bottom of this page.
What Does Reunification Involve?
Reunification may be recommended when a parent and child have experienced:
A significant interruption in parenting time
Separation or divorce
Estrangement or a strained relationship
A prolonged absence
A significant conflict or disruption in the parent–child relationship
Other circumstances where rebuilding the relationship is a family goal
The process may include individual sessions, parent coaching, child preparation, and parent–child sessions.
Step 1: Assessment & Preparation
Before parent–child contact begins, the clinician takes time to understand the family and the circumstances surrounding the separation or relationship disruption.
This may include:
Parent assessment
Parenting strengths and challenges
Understanding of the child’s needs and experiences
Communication and emotional regulation
Ability to respect boundaries
Expectations for reunification
Readiness to move forward gradually
Child assessment
Feelings and concerns about the relationship
Previous experiences with the parent
Perceived safety
Developmental needs
Boundaries and comfort level
Hopes or concerns about future contact
Family assessment
Family and separation history
Previous parenting arrangements
Current court orders and parenting-time arrangements
Previous treatment or evaluations
Relevant family and community factors
The child's perspective is important, but the child is not responsible for deciding the legal outcome or repairing the adult relationship.
Step 2: Building Skills Before Contact
Parents and children may participate in separate preparation sessions before beginning joint contact.
Parents may work on:
Listening and validation
Emotional regulation
Understanding child development
Respecting boundaries
Managing disappointment
Repairing relationship injuries
Communicating without becoming defensive
Avoiding pressure for affection or forgiveness
Keeping the child out of adult conflict
Children may work on:
Understanding the reunification process
Expressing feelings and concerns
Communicating boundaries
Coping with difficult emotions
Understanding that they are not responsible for adult conflict
Preparing for contact without being pressured to respond in a particular way
Step 3: Beginning Parent–Child Contact
When the clinician determines that contact is appropriate, interactions generally begin gradually and with support.
Early sessions may involve simple, low-pressure activities such as:
Games
Art or drawing
Cooking
Music
Storytelling
Shared activities
Age-appropriate conversation
The goal is to create positive and successful experiences together rather than immediately focusing on difficult or emotionally intense conversations.
Step 4: Building Trust & Repairing the Relationship
As the relationship becomes more comfortable, sessions may focus on:
Communication
Emotional safety
Trust
Boundaries
Understanding each other's experiences
Repairing misunderstandings and past hurts
Developing healthy ways to handle conflict
Trust is built through consistent behavior over time—showing up, following through, respecting boundaries, staying regulated, and creating positive experiences together.
Step 5: Gradually Expanding Contact
When clinically appropriate, contact may gradually move from the therapy setting into less structured environments.
Depending on the family, this might include:
Therapy session → supported activity → community activity → meal or outing → longer visit → expanded parenting time
There is no predetermined timeline for this process. Progression depends on the family's individual circumstances and clinical readiness. Contact may move forward, remain at the current level, or temporarily pause or step back when needed.
How Is Progress Determined?
Progress is about more than simply whether a child agrees to a visit.
The clinician may consider:
Emotional safety
Trust
Communication
Parent responsiveness
Respect for boundaries
Ability to manage emotions
Positive interactions
Successful visits and transitions
Reduced conflict
Ability to repair problems
Consistency over time
Progress may be described as:
Progressing | Continue Current Level | Needs Modification | Pause & Reassess
These are clinical treatment decisions, not custody decisions.
What Parents Can Expect
Parents are encouraged to:
✓ Listen without immediately becoming defensive
✓ Validate the child's feelings, even when they disagree
✓ Follow through on commitments
✓ Respect boundaries
✓ Remain patient and emotionally regulated
✓ Allow trust to develop over time
✓ Focus on creating positive experiences
✓ Take responsibility when appropriate
Parents are expected to avoid*:
✗ Interrogating the child
✗ Asking the child to choose sides
✗ Criticizing the other parent✗ Discussing court proceedings with the child
✗ Pressuring the child to show affection
✗ Demanding forgiveness
✗ Using gifts to replace relationship-building
✗ Making the child responsible for the parent's emotions
*Parents found to be engaging in these above behaviors, if they occur, may be documented and addressed in feedback or reports provided to the appropriate court system, grounds for dismissal from the program, and/or other relevant authority, as applicable.
Important Things to Know
Reunification is not about choosing a winner. The clinician's role is to understand the family relationship and help address barriers to a healthy relationship.
The process does not assume that either the parent or child is automatically at fault. The family situation is assessed as a whole.
Safety comes first. Concerns such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, coercive control, threats, unsafe caregiving, serious substance misuse, or other safety concerns may require additional assessment, modification, or postponement of reunification work.
Court orders remain in effect. The clinician does not independently change court-ordered parenting schedules.
Reunification does not guarantee a particular outcome. The purpose of treatment is to determine what can safely and clinically be supported while helping the family build the healthiest relationship possible.
The Goal
The ultimate goal is not simply more parenting time.
The goal is to help build a relationship that is:
Safe • Stable • Respectful • Trusting • Developmentally Appropriate • Sustainable
Reunification takes time. Small, consistent steps can create meaningful change.
Reunification sessions are private-pay services and are not billed to or submitted through insurance. The fee is $100 per hour for each reunification session.
Payment is due at the time of service. Because these services are not billed through insurance, they are not subject to an insurance copay, deductible, or insurance reimbursement through our office.