The Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Research Cente announced two groundbreaking studies on child welfare research that will examine the impact of spirituality on child welfare leaders and the perspectives of adult biological children from foster, adoptive, and kinship homes.
CAFO, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, says that both studies will involve participants taking part in anonymous 30-minute online surveys that are available now and will conclude on March 31, 2025.
“Service grows deeper and richer when it’s rooted in good knowledge,” said CAFO President Jedd Medefind. “These studies will provide fresh knowledge and wisdom for people serving in child welfare and beyond, from foster families to nonprofit leaders. The goal is bold action that’s guided by insight and grounded in love.”
The new studies are the latest in a series of original research projects published in 20 global academic journals by Dr. Nicole Wilke, director of the Center on Applied Research for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children, and Dr. Amanda Howard, associate professor of psychology at Samford University and senior scholar at CAFO.
“One of the many advantages of the CAFO community is that together we cover so many areas of expertise and experience represented by our many members,” Wilke said.
“Conversations within the community often expose gaps in knowledge within the practice of child welfare. Original research allows us to investigate these important questions, and the CAFO community makes it possible to learn from the perspectives of people representing a wide variety of contexts.”
Wilke stated that the findings from the studies aim to improve the well-being of families and other leaders helping vulnerable children worldwide. She noted that little data exists on the impact of spiritual practices on leaders and their effectiveness in long-term child welfare ministry.
CAFO said that the new research will “explore soul care practices among ministry leaders to identify if and how they impact spiritual health and longevity in this type of work.” Soul care is an essential part of CAFO’s ministry, which offers an annual soul care retreat for leaders. It is hoped the new research will help refine and develop this ministry more effectively.
“The more we understand about effective soul care, the more effectively we can pour into leaders so they can pour into those they serve,” Wilke added.
Little data also exists on the long-term health and well-being of biological children, despite the critical role they play in foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
The CAFO Research Center seeks to evaluate “key insights” from adults who have had experience as biological siblings “so that practical, data-informed recommendations can be developed for supporting biological children in the home.”
“We believe that data-informed perspectives on the experiences of biological children can help promote the long-term flourishing of adoptive and foster families in the future,” Wilke said.
Study participants should be “at least 18 years of age; have been raised in a home with at least one biological parent for the duration of their childhood, and have had foster, adopted, or kinship siblings for at least one year before the age of 18; speak fluent English; and have access to the internet.” Those interested can access the study here.
CAFO represents 290 organizations and a global church network helping Christians care for vulnerable children and families.
