Exploring Belief Systems in Kinship Fostering Practice in Igbo Indigenous Communities of Southeast Nigeria

Kinship fostering in Igbo indigenous communities is an enduring alternative child care practice that promotes collective responsibility for child care in a family environment. The practice is believed to be fundamental for family and community continuity. Weakening extended family ties and a lack of social work support services in this care arrangement have cast doubt on the continual viability of this alternative child care practice This is an exploratory study using grounded theory. In-depth interviews with six community leaders and six senior public social welfare officers provided insight on belief systems promoting kinship fostering in Igbo indigenous communities. Findings were thematically analysed to show continuity of lineage, preservation of family name and challenges associated with kinship fostering. Belief systems on kinship fostering provides insights on how children are viewed in Igbo culture, which can help policymakers design intervention programme that are culturally relevant in child-care formation in Nigeria given challenges in kinship fostering. The study promotes indigenous knowledge that is vital for social work education and practice in Nigeria. Further study suggests exploring the belief of foster children and their experiences in kinship fostering.