Spiritual needs in foster care: An exploratory mixed-methods study among biological parents, foster carers, and foster youth

Placement in foster care is a significant life event for the foster child, foster carers, and biological parents. Significant life events often give rise to spiritual needs. In this explorative mixed-methods study we have examined the spiritual needs of biological parents of foster youth, foster carers, and foster youth. All three groups reported spiritual needs for connectedness and moral justification. These were related to the overarching theme of loyalty: biological parents and foster carers reported a deep need to do the right thing for their (foster) children and foster youth reported a strong need for belonging both in relation to their biological parents and their foster carers. Many respondents experienced that the foster care professionals had attention for their spirituality. Biological parents and foster carers did not necessarily expect this of foster care professionals, though the interview respondents did indicate they expected (more) parenting support from the professionals. This relates to their spiritual needs for connectedness and moral justification. Especially biological parents reported unmet needs in this regard. Most of the foster youth did expect foster care professionals to provide spiritual care, because spirituality was inherent to their identity and experience. Thus, spirituality should be integral to youth care policy.