“We need to wake the sleeping giant that is the church in the foster care space.”

When I first heard my friend say these words, something in me stirred. It was five years ago and part of a catalytic season for what was to become The Homeward Project. 

Fast forward to last week when I read a report on the “foster carer drought,” outlining reasons for the decline in foster carers. One stood out to me. “No religious impetus to foster.”

It was sobering. Is there no observable connection between faith and action on behalf of the most vulnerable children in our communities?

Rather than accepting defeat, I had to ask another question. What if the church, as part of growing deeper in our discipleship, could find itself centring a concern for our most vulnerable neighbours?

What if we could wake the sleeping giant of local faith communities across Australia, to help transform a space known for brokenness? 

I don’t want to minimise the efforts of the churches already recognising and supporting foster care, and I’m not suggesting that fostering is the only way, or a superior way, to be living on mission in our communities. I am, however, bold enough to claim that caring for vulnerable children is something that the church has a biblical mandate to give attention to (you can read more about this here). 

Foster Care Sunday, coming up on the 8th September. This is the beginning of Foster Care Week in many states and territories and is a simple but significant way for churches to recognise, celebrate, and support the role that foster and kinship carers are playing every day in our neighbourhoods. It’s also an opportunity to look at ways we might be able to respond.

The church is uniquely positioned to be a powerful force for good; a body of many parts all playing a role. We’re not going to be any child or family’s saviour, but we can find guidance, endurance, and hope in our Saviour. 

Responding to brokenness in our communities in a way that pursues restoration is difficult. There are no quick fixes or simple solutions. Foster Care is hard. As Foster Carer Ali says, “We couldn’t do it on our own,” and her husband Noddy echoes, “It takes all of us.”

We don’t all have to do the same thing, but we can all do something.

Could you pray for the church to lean in and rise up?

Do you have finance to contribute to this area of ministry?

Are you able to mentor a young person in care, support a carer, or maybe even open your home to a child on a full-time or part-time basis?

This Foster Care Week, and every week, it’s our prayer that Foster and Kinship carers feel seen, valued, and supported.

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Written by Leonie Quayle from The Homeward Project team.

The Homeward Project is a movement of churches committed to making a difference for children and families involved with the child protection system. We exist to equip and empower local churches for a holistic ministry of Out-of-Home Care, ensuring there is a home for every child who needs one, and there is a supportive community for every carer. Find out more about partnering with us at the link below.