Abstract
Purpose
Adults with care experience often struggle to make sense of their family relationships owing to adverse childhood experiences (ACES). This study analysed motifs of faith and spirituality in how care leavers made sense of the concept of “family” in their lives.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 45 adult care leavers Harare, Zimbabwe. A thematic analysis brought out recurring ideas of faith and spirituality that influenced participants’ family constructions.
Findings
The Church played a functional role in care leavers’ lives providing support and care. Faith-based residential care facilities engaged in group spiritual practices, such as going to Church together, praying and worshiping together, which fall within the contemporary concept of “family practices” and allowed care leavers to view unrelated caregivers as “family” based on shared experiences. Finally having faith in God was described as an anchoring force when dealing with the hardships of adulthood in the absence of biological family and state support. These findings have implications for social policy around the role of faith-based institutions in child welfare.
Originality/value
The investigation of the role of faith and spirituality in care-experienced lives is an emerging area of study. This study explores the role of faith and spirituality in care leavers interpersonal lives, which contributes to studies of care leavers’ personal lives. As a marginalized group of young people, their voices are crucial in informing social policy around their care after leaving public state care.
Adults with care experience often struggle to make sense of their family relationships owing to adverse childhood experiences (ACES). This study analysed motifs of faith and spirituality in how care leavers made sense of the concept of “family” in their lives.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 45 adult care leavers Harare, Zimbabwe. A thematic analysis brought out recurring ideas of faith and spirituality that influenced participants’ family constructions.
Findings
The Church played a functional role in care leavers’ lives providing support and care. Faith-based residential care facilities engaged in group spiritual practices, such as going to Church together, praying and worshiping together, which fall within the contemporary concept of “family practices” and allowed care leavers to view unrelated caregivers as “family” based on shared experiences. Finally having faith in God was described as an anchoring force when dealing with the hardships of adulthood in the absence of biological family and state support. These findings have implications for social policy around the role of faith-based institutions in child welfare.
Originality/value
The investigation of the role of faith and spirituality in care-experienced lives is an emerging area of study. This study explores the role of faith and spirituality in care leavers interpersonal lives, which contributes to studies of care leavers’ personal lives. As a marginalized group of young people, their voices are crucial in informing social policy around their care after leaving public state care.
Original language | English |
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Journal | International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy |
Early online date | 21 Jan 2025 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 21 Jan 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Keywords
- Faith
- Spirituality
- Family practices
- Care leavers
- Family meanings