Collaborative on Global Children's Issues

Beginning in 2023, the Faith and the Family forum focused on Christian faith communities and their contributions to both the propagation and prevention of child-family separation across time and contexts. The forum explored the theological dimensions of these issues and growing evidence about the effects of child-family separation on developmental outcomes across the life course.

The forum on Faith and the Family: Propagating and Preventing Child-Family Separation across Time and Context was convened by Catholic Relief Services and Georgetown University’s Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues, in coordination with the Changing the Way We Care initiative and strategic partners.

With a particular focus on the Roman Catholic faith, project partners considered the extent to which religious belief systems and practices have justified or opposed the separation of children from families in a variety of historical and regional contexts: American slavery, Indigenous communities, the development and use of residential care worldwide, and in migration policy and response. Partners also considered the role of the Catholic Church in supporting vulnerable children, families, and communities and preventing unnecessary child-family separation.

The Faith and the Family forum was shaped by a collaborative design team of thought leaders committed to incorporating a variety of perspectives into the conversation, including those who have experienced child-family separation, faith leaders, programmatic actors, researchers, and other stakeholders. 

For more information, please contact globalchildren@georgetown.edu or sign up to receive email updates.