What Is a Family Reunification Plan and How Do You Make It Work?
A family reunification plan is the document that outlines what you need to accomplish before MCFD will return your children. Understanding how to read it, negotiate it, and execute it is essential for every Indigenous parent in BC with children in care.
A family reunification plan is the roadmap between where you are now and your children coming home. Every goal in it should be specific, achievable, connected to the original concern, and supported by services MCFD provides or funds. You have the right to participate in writing it — and the right to challenge it if it is not fair.
A reunification plan is not a punishment. Legally, it is a collaborative planning document designed to address the concerns that led to the removal and support the family in meeting them. In practice, the quality of these plans varies widely. Some are clear, achievable, and well-resourced. Others are vague, burdensome, or disconnected from the actual concern.
Knowing the difference — and how to address it — matters for the outcome.
What a good reunification plan contains
A well-constructed reunification plan includes:
- A clear description of the concern that led to the removal
- Specific, measurable goals directly connected to that concern
- The supports available to help you meet each goal (counselling, housing, substance use treatment, parenting programs, etc.)
- A timeline with clear milestones
- How progress will be measured and by whom
- What reunification will look like when the plan is complete
How to participate in the plan’s development
Under the CFCSA, you have the right to participate in developing your care plan. Exercise that right actively:
- Attend every planning meeting
- Bring your lawyer or a support person
- Ask that all goals be explained in plain language
- Ask what specific evidence will demonstrate you have met each goal
- Put your concerns or disagreements in writing and ask for written responses
When goals are not connected to the concern
If MCFD is requiring you to complete programs or meet conditions that are not related to the original concern, that is a legitimate issue to raise with your lawyer. A goal of completing a parenting course is appropriate if the concern was about parenting. Requiring you to move home, change employment, or address issues unrelated to the original concern may not be.
Cultural dimensions of your plan
Under Bill C-92, your cultural rights and your child’s cultural continuity are part of the framework that governs every decision about your family. Ask whether your reunification plan includes cultural dimensions: reconnecting with your nation, engaging with Elders, participating in ceremony, supporting language.
If these are not in the plan, you can request they be added. IFISC Pillar 4 requires that certified providers support reunification as the explicit goal from day one of any placement — including culturally grounded reunification.
For peer support from parents who have been through this process, contact KFT at [email protected] or visit keeping-families-together.com.
If you are an Indigenous family navigating child welfare in BC and need peer support, contact KFT-Families Society at [email protected], call Lori at 604-512-3266, or visit keeping-families-together.com. IFISC operates weekly peer support circles, connects families with culturally grounded resources, and provides guidance to parents at every stage of the child welfare process — at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a family reunification plan?
- A family reunification plan (also called a support plan or case plan) is a written document developed by MCFD in collaboration with the family. It sets out specific goals the parent must work toward, the supports available to help them, and the timeline and criteria for reunification. Parents have the right to participate in creating this plan.
- What if the goals in my reunification plan are unreasonable?
- Reunification plan goals must be connected to the original concern that led to the removal. Goals that are unrelated, excessively burdensome, or impossible to achieve in the given timeframe can be challenged with your lawyer. You do not have to accept a plan without negotiation.
- What happens if I complete my reunification plan?
- Completing your reunification plan is the clearest path to returning your children home. However, MCFD still has an obligation to assess whether it is safe for the child to return, even after plan goals are met. If you have completed the plan and MCFD is not moving toward reunification, speak with your lawyer immediately.
KFT-Families Society
You do not have to navigate this alone.
IFISC is operated by KFT-Families Society, an Indigenous-led nonprofit founded by people who have navigated the child welfare system firsthand. We run weekly peer support circles and connect families with culturally grounded resources across BC. Reach out — no paperwork, no waitlist.
[email protected] · keeping-families-together.com