In our community, there are incredible churches, organizations, and advocates working to care for children and families before, during, and beyond foster care. Some of them are working to provide adoptive families for children who need them. Some are working to keep biological families together so kids never enter foster care, or to rally around these families as they seek to reunite with their children. Others are stepping up to serve as foster families, providing kids with a safe, temporary home. And others are providing relational and practical support for all of these families—including foster, kinship, adoptive, and biological families—and for former foster youth.

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When the church is finding families for children, rallying around biological families, supporting child welfare professionals, meeting adoptive family’s needs as soon as they arise, and caring for youth who have aged out of foster care, it is living out its true character. And in every stage of foster care—before, during, and beyond—local churches can help lead and provide the relational and practical support vulnerable children and families need.

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There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and based on the vision and unique makeup

of your congregation, your church’s engagement in foster care will look different

than a church down the street. And that is a good and beautiful thing.

No single church can transform foster care on its own. 

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It would be a privilege to walk alongside you and your church as you explore how your church is uniquely called and equipped to love our neighbors in foster care. 

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