A collage of photos of children playing in the grass.

International Association for Children's Spirituality

Promoting and supporting research and practice in relation to children’s spirituality.

A young boy running through a blossoming orchard.

Who we are

The International Association for Children’s Spirituality seeks to promote and support research and practice in relation to children’s spirituality within education and wider contexts of children’s care and wellbeing.

The Association understands spirituality broadly and inclusively as having relation to the religious and beyond the religious. We encourage holistic approaches to children’s spirituality and personal development across a variety of disciplines, professions, organisations and communities.

Our methods of working are based on a set of values and aims which can be read here.

The IACS July 2024 Symposium

An in-person symposium at Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, UK, is planned for 15-18 July 2024, with an optional dinner gathering on the evening of 14 July and optional tourism-based activities before and after the event. More details will be forthcoming soon, but the plan is to gather 25-50 participants to share, experience, and discuss academic papers and practical workshops live.

Two children looking out a window in their pajamas.

Spirituality

We understand spirituality broadly and inclusively as relating to the religious and beyond the religious. We encourage holistic approaches to children’s spirituality and personal development across a variety of disciplines, professions, organisations and communities.

We are an international network of individuals and groups who recognise the importance of addressing the spiritual lives of children and young people in their research and practice.

In this it overlaps with elements of religious experience without being associated necessarily with any set of beliefs.