The Impact of Church Members on Single Parents in Residential Family Care Systems

This paper discusses the value of grace and its significance for making positive, lasting change. The researcher initially hypothesized that accountability alone was the sole catalyst for transformation (van Manen, 1990; Williams, 2008). The researcher conducted 30-minute interviews of seven single mothers with a minimum of 2 years residence in one or more Residential Family Care (RFC) programs, identifying them with pseudonyms for the purpose of protecting their identities. Each interview transcript was then evaluated for key repeated themes and phrases. While accountability did indeed play a significant role in the women’s change processes, the researcher found that grace, facilitated by accountability, was the actual driver of meaningful growth. Grace is defined as unearned favor and kindness given to another through forgiveness, generosity, and love, with honesty and humility (Easton, 1987; Wilson, 2010). The value of adopting grace for self-facilitation was also considered, highlighting the process of transition from survival mode to a state of personal growth, self-compassion, and improved mental health (Zimmerman & Campillo, 2003). Lastly, the researcher discusses grace's role and the significance of accountability stemming from additional venues outside of formal programs. Support from an external source, such as a church community, enabled participants to feel valued, build resilience (Bluth et al., 2018; Kovoor-Misra, 2020; Seoane, 2023), and accomplish long-term goals. The implications of these findings for future program development and research are outlined.