To Belong: Narratives About Family Belonging Among Children in Foster Families or Where Custody has been Transferred

Abstract

Background

In 1983, 2001, 2002 and 2020 Swedish legislation has sought to strengthen children’s rights to family belonging in foster care, as well as their voices in decision making. The aim of this study was to understand how children in long-term foster families and children whose custody has been transferred experience family belonging within these different legal contexts. Methods: Six participants aged 11–17 years were recruited. The data were collected through narrative interviews. Both verbal and visual methods were used in data collection and narrative analysis was used to capture a comprehensive understanding of the stories. Findings: It is suggested that a sense of family belonging can be understood through the following themes: “To spend time”, “To share experiences”, “To be seen, cared for, and supported”, “To resemble someone”, and “To know or not to know”. Conclusion: Practical implications of the findings are discussed in relation to planning, guidance, and decision-making within foster care. The results, if implemented in practice, could have an impact on how to discuss foster children’s sense of family belonging within the foster care system.