Exploring moral injury among parents with children in out-of-home care

Abstract

This article brings together the experiences of parents whose children are placed in out-of-home care (OHC) with the theoretical concept of moral injury. The findings are based on empirical data from a research and development project conducted in seven Swedish municipalities with the aim of developing support for such parents. This article draws on a data set of qualitative interviews with 40 parents, 30 mothers and 10 fathers, with children in OHC. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically, with an abductive approach to theories and the empirical data. The findings illustrate how parents of children in OHC experience moral injury in relation to seven aspects: professionals' morally problematic and distressing behaviour, problematic services, an adversarial system, systemic bias, parent's actions, children's withdrawal and feeling excluded. The injuries are related to events in several periods—prior to the child's removal, during the execution of removal and during OHC—and tend to last for many years. These findings stress that the social services must be aware of the injuries parents experience and must minimize the possible harm and moral injury. We also suggest that parents of children in OHC should have an appointed social worker as a means of support.