Thesis Defence: Sense of Belonging: A Narrative Inquiry Study of Adults’ Past Experience in Kinship Care Definitions of Sense of Belonging

Hannah Finkelstein, supervised by Dr. Judy Gillespie, will defend their thesis titled “Sense of Belonging: A Narrative Inquiry Study of Adults’ Past Experience in Kinship Care Definitions of Sense of Belonging” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work.

An abstract for Hannah Finkelstein’s thesis is included below.

Defences are open to all members of the campus community as well as the general public. Registration is not required for in-person defences.

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ABSTRACT

This study explores how individuals define and experience sense of belonging when placed in kinship care as a child or teen, with a particular emphasis on the personal stories and narratives that shape their understanding of connection, identity, and family. The concept of sense of belonging, widely explored in schools, disability communities, and migration studies, encompasses individual, community, and cultural dimensions, contributing to subjective well-being. However, little research has focused specifically on sense of belonging in kinship care, with existing studies often combining foster care and kinship care, making it difficult to understand the unique experiences of children in kinship care placements.

Using narrative inquiry, this study gathers insights from adults who have aged out of kinship care, asking them to reflect on their experiences of belonging during their placements. The data is analyzed through both narrative analysis, which focuses on temporality (past, present, and future experiences), and reflexive thematic analysis. Themes are coded using both pre-determined categories—such as place attachment, attachment with people, and object attachment—and emergent themes from participants’ stories.

The findings reveal five key themes: object belonging, belonging to place and neighborhood, belonging to people, school belonging, and belonging as an ongoing process. These themes are interconnected, showing how bonds to objects, people, and places shape the sense of belonging over time. Transitional objects, for example, played a significant role in the initial stages of attachment until a more stable sense of belonging was formed within the kinship home or community. The study also highlights the importance of time in the development of belonging, as it requires reciprocal relationships between the child and caregivers. Belonging is portrayed as a gradual process rather than an instantaneous feeling, where mutual effort fosters deeper emotional connections.

Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of sense of belonging in kinship care and adds valuable perspectives to theories of attachment, place attachment, and ecological systems.