Foster Children’s Sense of Sibling Belonging: The Significance of Biological and Social Ties

Abstract

This article analyzes children’s experiences and their perceived sense of belonging to brothers and sisters to assess the significance of social and biological ties for developing identity. Specifically, this article aims to highlight the significance of siblings for children moving from homes to foster homes and back to their original homes again. Most children participating in this study emphasized the continuity of biological relations with their siblings as important for their identity and sense of belonging. At the same time, social ties to both siblings and foster siblings had significance for their perception of themselves. A sense of belonging and identity are, thus, shown to develop in relation to both biological siblings and foster siblings.