“The Feeling Is What Counts”: Fathers’ Perspectives on Child Risk and Protection within the Ultra-Orthodox Context

Abstract

Context is known to have substantial influence on issues pertaining to child development. Nevertheless, the field of child well-being, risk, and protection is rooted in Western modernized research and experience, often overlooking contextual dissimilarity. The present study aimed to explore risk and protection for children in a distinct context: the Ultra-Orthodox community, which is an insular and religiously close-knit society. Fifteen in-depth interviews with Ultra-Orthodox fathers dealing with issues of child risk and protection were conducted and thematically analyzed. Analysis of the findings revealed two major areas that fathers viewed as posing potential risk for children: poverty and a lack of paternal presence. In both cases, the fathers emphasized that appropriate mediation of these circumstances can diffuse their potential harm. The discussion outlines the different ways fathers proposed mediating potential risk situations, highlighting distinct religion-related methods. It then considers specific, context-informed ramifications and recommendations and notes limitations and directions for future study.