This study examines the causal role that the source of income plays in reunification. The researchers used administrative data on primary caregivers of children placed in out-of-home care in Washington State from 2000 through 2007 (N = 15,159) matched with public economic support and employment data linked by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Integrated Client Database (ICDB) to estimate the effect of the amount of earnings and the amount of cash benefits on reunification.
The researchers found modest and inconsistent results that suggest higher earnings are associated with lower likelihood of reunification. They found no consistent evidence linking cash assistance to reunification.