ABSTRACT
The Foundling Hospital, which provided care for destitute children in London from until its closure in 1954, had a practice of baptizing newcomers according to the rites of the Church of England and giving them a new name by which they were then known. Spiritual development has more often been seen as a responsibility for education rather than welfare authorities. The UN Convention has denoted spiritual development as a human right, and noted that all children are entitled to a standard of living which is adequate for such development. Resilience refers to a capacity to thrive despite adversity or under stressful conditions and to recover from loss in a way that might be better than expected in the circumstances. Spirituality for young children involves a range of aspects including beginning to develop an inner life, having a sense what is genuine in themselves and developing an awareness of the world around them.
