[Archived] City of Alexandria Recognizes National Reunification Month, Fatherhood Awareness Month

For Immediate Release: June 4, 2021

As part of National Reunification Month and Fatherhood Awareness Month in June, the City of Alexandria is highlighting programs and services focused on reunifying children in foster care with their parents and families, and in particular, the role of fathers during the reunification process. National Reunification Month highlights the importance of successful relationships between child welfare professionals and birth and foster families in achieving reunification.

The goal of child welfare programs and services is to give children in foster care every opportunity to grow up with their parents or other relatives whenever possible. Foster care, kinship care and fatherhood support and engagement programs strengthen efforts of birth parents, foster families and social workers to reunify children in foster care with their families. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fathers and paternal family members play a crucial role in a child’s development and well-being, and engaged fathers can increase the potential for reunification when a child is in foster care. Specialized fatherhood engagement programs, like Fathers in Touch, support fathers in workplace development, leadership and parenting and relationship skills.

Throughout June, on Facebook, Twitter, and the City’s website at alexandriava.gov/ChildWelfare, find information and resources about foster care, fatherhood and reunification, and how residents can support Alexandria’s at-risk families and children. Residents can also help enhance the lives of resource families and children in foster care through The Fund for Alexandria’s Child, which provides extracurricular activities and other childhood experiences.

Visit alexandriava.gov/ChildWelfare to learn more about foster care and reunification programs and services.

For media information, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.