Belonging and becoming: Rethinking children’s identity development in foster care and adoption

Earlier this month, I took part in the EuSARF Conference 2025 in Zagreb, one of the leading conferences on child and family welfare. Together with Emeritus Professor Gillian Schofield, I organised a symposium titled Belonging and becoming: Rethinking children’s identity development in foster care and adoption.

The symposium brought together colleagues from Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Canada, and England. Each presentation explored a different dimension of how young people in foster care or adoption experience identity, belonging, and family membership: the use of family terms by children in long-term foster care in Belgium and its contribution to family identity and wider identity formation; the influence of family names on identity and belonging for young adults with care experience in Ireland; the sense of belonging and family identity of young people in kinship care in Spain; the adoptive identity of young people/adults in Canada; and the identity development of young people in foster care in England.

I presented preliminary findings of a research project, part of my ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of East Anglia, on young people’s views of how foster carers contribute to their identity development. Young people in England highlighted both the challenges of navigating multiple identities and the importance of foster carers and other supportive adults who listen, celebrate their diversity, and promote a sense of belonging. This international project is ongoing, with analysis of the Spanish and Portuguese data to follow in the coming months.

The session drew around 70 participants and generated thoughtful discussion on how best to support young people in developing a positive sense of self. The symposium underscored that, while identity development is complex, foster carers, families, friends, and professionals all play a vital role in creating the conditions for young people to flourish.

Written by: Vania Pinto