This paper is part 3 in a series on reunification for children in out-of-home care. It describes selected research which has documented factors which predict reunification breakdowns and considers ways in which reunification decision-making can be improved.

This paper describes the number of children entering and leaving care and time taken to reunification. It describes child and family factors that make it more or less likely that reunification will occur.

The safe reunification of children in out-of-home care with their families is the policy priority in every Australian state. However knowledge and research in this area is very limited. This summary outlines research on reunification success rates and the consequences of reunification failure.

This report focuses on recommendations to improve the blue card system, Queensland's term for working with children checks.

This review of Queensland’s foster care system identified some opportunities to build stakeholder and public confidence, strengthen carer assessment, approval and renewal processes, and strengthen safeguards for children in care.