The Austen Family and the Practice of Foster Care: Exploring the Evidence

The Austen Family and the Practice of Foster Care: Exploring the Evidence

Come along for an exploration into the theme of child foster care within Jane Austen's world. In this session, we will unravel the subtle references to foster care embedded in Austen's novels. Discover the societal norms, challenges, and emotional intricacies faced by characters like Fanny Price and Harriet Smith, whose experiences echo the real-life struggles of individuals in need of care and support during the Regency era.

Delving deeper, we will uncover the story of Jane Austen's own family, specifically focusing on her brother Edward, who was fostered out to relatives (pictured above). This personal narrative provides a unique lens through which we can understand the Austen family dynamics and the societal factors that influenced fostering practices in the 18th century.

Finally, we will explore the clues hinting at the possibility that even Jane herself might have spent her early years as a foster child.

Speaker: Taryn Dryfhout

Taryn is a secondary teacher specialised in English, History, and Religious Education, with experience in tertiary teaching. She is currently completing her PhD in the University of Otago, focusing on the relationship between M`āori worldviews and theology of community. Taryn is also a published writer with several books and over 400 articles, reviews, and columns. She is a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors and Mensa. Taryn is married with four children.

Check out her links: https://linktr.ee/taryndryfhout

Host or Publisher Jane Austen Society of New Zealand