Ethical Dilemma's

In 2019 a research project convened focused on religion, faith and identity development of foster children. We are interested in foster children that live in families with similar and very different backgrounds than the families they were born and raised in. Previous research has suggested that foster children may have to bridge more differences and experience challenges in doing so, when their religious background and that of their foster families are divergent. We are interested in what this means for their religious identity development, as well as how foster children experience religion in foster families and their broader family and social relations.

The research project combines empirical research into the lived experiences with religious differences in the context of foster care, with reflection on the ethical dilemmas that emerge in practice. We explore these dilemmas against the background of ethics related to children’s rights to rights associated religion and religious and cultural minorities.

The Children’s Rights Convention (CRC) (1989), states that in the case of out-of-home placement, the continuity of a child’s religious background must be considered. However, in spite of efforts by foster care agencies, there is a shortage of religious matches and substantial (and growing group) of foster children in The Netherlands live with religiously non-matched foster families. With approximately 60% of all placements becoming permanent an out-of-home placement often involves important religious shifts (or even religious conflicts) for foster children. Furthermore, children with an immigrant background are overrepresented in Dutch foster care, making up 30% of the foster child population.

Through identifying and unpacking ethical arguments in dialogue with an empirical examination, this study will disentangle how the best interests of foster children growing up in a religiously non-matched placement can be safeguarded in order to provide them with healthy psychosocial adjustment. In ethical debates, at least three important arguments can be disentangled and evaluated. First, waiting for a religious match may jeopardize a youth’s psychosocial adjustment. However, religious identity is relevant for the psychosocial development of the foster child if he or she is to continue developing self-identity and authenticity in the tradition in which he or she was initially raised. Last, considering that in The Netherlands, religiously non-matched placements are common, it is important to remember children’s right to religious freedom).