PROTECTING CHILDREN BY PRESERVING THEIR FAMILIES

The growing emphasis in the field of child welfare in the United State s on preserving families has resulted in renewed attention to the reun ification of children in out-of-home placement with their families. Ye t this form of family preservation is viewed by some as competing with the government's responsibility to protect children. It is true, of c ourse, that in particular cases these two responsibilities are incompa tible, and the child's safety and protection become paramount. However , at the philosophical and policy levels family preservation and child protection are complementary rather than competing values. In essence , the best way to protect children is to preserve as much of their fam ilies as possible.