5 Signs a Family Is Ready for the Next Step
Reunification should move on evidence, not on a calendar. In the Continuum of Care, four readiness indicators guide every phase change: safety, accountability, stability and communication.
1. Safety concerns are named and actively managed, not minimized. 2. The parent can describe their own part in the family’s history without blaming the child or the other parent. 3. Routines, housing and relationships are steady enough to hold more contact. 4. Communication at exchanges and visits is calm and child-focused. 5. The child’s own pace is respected — nothing is forced.
[Draft for Monique to review and expand with clinical examples.]