Barriers to spiritual practice implementation among child welfare professionals: a multi-national qualitative analysis

Wilke N.G.; Medefind J.; Howard A.H. · Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work (2026) · DOI: 10.1080/15426432.2026.2657473

Resumen

This study explores the barriers child welfare professionals encounter when attempting to engage in spiritual practices recommended by their organizations. Using thematic analysis of qualitative responses from a larger mixed-methods project of 304 child welfare professionals, seven primary barriers emerged: busyness and competing responsibilities, internal obstacles, organizational culture and structure challenges, contextual constraints, resource limitations, and caregiving demands. These findings highlight the complex personal and organizational dynamics that shape spiritual engagement in child welfare settings. Results underscore the need for organizational policies, leadership support, and feasible structures that enable spiritual practices, with implications for enhancing resilience, well-being, and professional quality of life among child welfare workers.