There are many requirements that a biological parent must meet in order to reunify with their children. While these requirements are necessary to ensure that children are being reunited with parents who can provide a safe and stable environment, many parents struggle to overcome the circumstances that led to their children being placed in foster care in the first place.
In the state of Illinois, the reunification rate was just 20% in 2021. Just as children and foster parents need a supportive community, biological parents working toward reunification need a strong, steady network around them too.
One such parent is Jacob Jackson. After a car accident, Jacob found himself addicted to prescription drugs, which led him into a tumultuous season of life. When he was at the end of his rope, Jacob attempted to take his own life. With nowhere else to turn, he entered the Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge and by the grace of God found a connection with a local church.
It was during this time that Jacob learned his children had entered foster care. Determined to reunite with them, he threw himself into recovery, working tirelessly to complete the program and meet every requirement needed to regain full custody.
In this episode, you’ll hear the obstacles Jacob had to overcome, the ways that anyone can fall into difficult circumstances, how the support of the local church played a vital role in reunification, and much more.
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Many people have no place to turn for help.
One of the factors that can play a role in a parent losing custody of their children is a lack of a supportive community. The foster care system does not exist in isolation. Many biological parents are navigating challenges that didn’t begin with them and often stem from generational struggles. When these pressures converge in a moment of crisis, the path forward can feel overwhelming and nearly impossible to navigate alone.
“I was just crying out to God that I can’t keep living like this…Every door in my life had shut. Where was I going to go? What was I going to do?”
2. The odds are often stacked against reunification.
Remember that only 20% of child welfare cases ended with reunification in Illinois in 2021. When reunification doesn’t occur, it isn’t always because biological parents don’t want it. Often, it’s because it can be hard for them to meet the requirements if the other circumstances in their lives are not also resolved. Jacob overcame the odds by sticking with a drug addiction program and finding the practical and emotional support he needed to not only meet the requirements for reunification, but continue thriving once custody was restored.
“What do I need to do to get my kids out of custody? [DCFS] said even if you get a job, get a house, do all these things, you are more than likely not getting your kids back.”
3. Support doesn’t stop at reunification.
If anything, parents need more support than ever after reunification, as they navigate the challenging realities of transporting children to and from school, providing healthy meals, and generating enough income to cover their family expenses. A supportive community can lighten the load through simple yet meaningful actions, like picking up children from the bus stop while their parent is working, sharing meals, and being a genuine friend to the parent.
“I could call them for anything—to be mentored, coached, for advice, just to listen. They were there for all of that.’”
Meet Our Guest
Jacob Jackson is a devoted father, husband, and certified automotive technician with a powerful story of redemption and faith. After battling addiction and facing the reality that his children would be entering foster care, Jacob made the courageous decision to join Louisiana Adult and Teen Challenge. He worked tirelessly to meet his reunification requirements and, with the unwavering support of his church community, regained full custody of his two sons in 2023. Now remarried to his wife, Lanee, he is the proud father of five children. Jacob is passionate about offering hope to parents in similar situations and serving at his local church.
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