“How do I know that they know?”: supporting faith formation among children with disabilities

Faith formation can be a central aspect of parenting. Despite the presence of more than 7.5 million children with disabilities in the United States, the distinct issues and challenges their parents encounter in this area are underexplored. This qualitative study examined how parents of children with disabilities understand and support their children’s faith formation. Twenty-seven parents from diverse Christian traditions participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their family’s faith practices, congregational involvement, and hopes for their children’s spiritual growth. Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes that capture the desires, questions, practices, and hopes that shape these parents’ approaches to nurturing faith. We discuss implications for research and practice aimed at strengthening family and congregational approaches to accessible faith formation.