For children living in foster care, adoption and guardianship are important permanency outcomes when reunification with their biological family is not Show moreFor children living in foster care, adoption and guardianship are important permanency outcomes when reunification with their biological family is not advisable. Most children living in adoptive or guardianship families do not reenter state custody after adoption or guardianship finalization. But five to 20% of children may experience post adoption and guardianship instability. “Post adoption and guardianship instability” refers to situations in which children who exit foster care to adoptive and guardianship homes no longer reside with their adoptive parent or legal guardian. Instability may be formal (when a child reenters foster care) or informal (when a child lives temporarily with another family member). The extent to which families experience both formal and informal post adoption and guardianship instability is uncertain, and the reasons for this instability are not always clear. Show less