Ribut Eli Mustopo. 2024. The Role of Caregivers in Enhancing Religious Character at LKSA Ar Fakhrudin Muhammadiyah Ponorogo. Thesis, Islamic Religious Education Program (PAI), Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo. Advisor (I) Dr. Anip Dwi Saputro, M.Pd, and Advisor (II) Lilis Sumaryanti, M.Pd.
Caregivers play a crucial role in shaping and enhancing the religious character of foster students. The majority of foster students living at LKSA are high school students or equivalent, and many come from families with limited understanding of Islam. The caregivers at LKSA Ar Fakhrudin Muhammadiyah Ponorogo not only provide theoretical guidance but also serve as good role models and are actively involved in the daily activities of the foster students. This well-executed role of the caregivers can have a significant positive impact on the spiritual and moral development of the students.
The objectives of this study are to: (1) Understand how caregivers enhance religious character at LKSA Ar Fakhrudin Muhammadiyah Ponorogo. (2) Determine the implications of caregivers' roles on the improvement of religious character.
This research employs a qualitative method with a case study approach, collecting data through interviews with five informants, including the head of LKSA, caregivers, and foster students, direct observations of activities at LKSA, and documentation in the form of pictures and related documents. The data analysis method in this study follows the steps of Miles and Huberman, including data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions to achieve the best results.
The findings of this research are as follows: (1) Caregivers play a crucial role in enhancing the religious character of the foster students. Based on the research conducted, the roles of caregivers at LKSA Ar Fakhrudin Muhammadiyah Ponorogo include being mentors, role models, supervisors, motivators, facilitators, educators, and managers. (2) The implications of the caregivers' roles on the improvement of religious character are significant. As role models, the students become more sincere, honest, and respectful of others. As supervisors, the students become more obedient to rules and responsible. As motivators, the students' self-confidence and creativity increase. In their roles as educators, mentors, and facilitators, the students are encouraged to develop a love for knowledge and personal growth. As managers, the students become more independent and responsible for their futures.

Keywords: Caregiver, Religious Charact