There’s something about the city.

Each city has its own unique identity, representing a region and a people with distinct landmarks and striking skylines, colloquialisms and character. Often cultural epicentres, cities can be places of beautiful diversity, holding within them different stories, different people, different backgrounds and different experiences. Some of our larger and faster-growing urban areas are receiving more and more devolved power from the Government, providing opportunities for change. Big conversations, rapid developments and important decisions take place in these spaces; they are environments abuzz with potential.

Of course, change, care and action occur in all kinds of landscapes, and we at Home for Good delight in working with individuals, couples, families, church communities and local authorities and agencies in villages, towns and rural areas across the UK.

But Home for Good recognises that cities across the UK hold unique potential when it comes to making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and the families who care for them. We also recognise that cities have their own unique challenges, and often high concentrations of social inequality and disadvantage. So, they require a unique approach.

Home for Good has been pioneering and engaging in city-wide campaigns almost since its inception. Activity in these cities has continued beyond the parameters of our campaigns themselves, as we have developed relationships with local authorities, agencies and churches and grown our network of incredible local Champions.

Bristol is one such city. Home for Good officially began working with Bristol City Council (BCC) in the Autumn of 2018 with an initial agreement to find 30 new foster carers. When the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, BCC asked Home for Good to help with an emergency foster carer recruitment campaign. Home for Good developed a new enquiry process and inspired and mobilised church communities across the city to consider opening their homes to vulnerable children. Home for Good’s unique way of journeying with people has led to applicants who are better informed and prepared, and Home for Good enquirers were found to be 2.5 times more likely to become approved foster carers than those who came through Bristol City Council’s usual recruitment channels, with an exceptional rate of approval for fostering at over 75%. Alongside the focus on recruitment, Home for Good has established a number of support groups for new and existing foster carers in Bristol, nurturing resilience and longevity.

“Home for Good’s commitment to children and finding families has been outstanding and we are very grateful to the team for their support. They have been dedicated, enthusiastic and focused in supporting us to recruit the ‘right’ foster carers, along with being professional and flexible.” Director of Children and Families Services, Bristol City Council.

In recent months, Home for Good has been engaging with the Church across Greater Manchester as we’ve developed a partnership with Festival Manchester, an initiative of the Message Trust, the Luis Palau association and hundreds of local churches, businesses, and organisations. Traditionally, Festival Manchester has been a three-day festival top-and-tailed with social action projects; The Message Trust are known for their creativity in engaging with communities and sharing the story of Jesus, and the festival is an amazing demonstration of this with a dynamic range of family-friendly activities, action sports displays and music.

This year the team at The Message Trust are taking their mission even further. Alongside the 200 social action projects that will be taking place across the region, Festival Manchester have launched four specific Love Where U Live campaigns, one of which is to find 500 additional homes across Greater Manchester for children and young people through fostering, adoption and supported lodgings. This legacy of social transformation will have impact for years to come.

The number of children and young people in care across the North West region has risen by one third since 2011, with around 15,000 children currently in care. There is an urgent need for high quality, age-appropriate provision for older teenagers in care. In 2021, 25% of children in care in Manchester were aged 16 or older.1 As a strategic partner of Festival Manchester, Home for Good are proactively engaging with fostering, supported lodgings and adoption stakeholders across the ten Manchester boroughs in order to find these 500 homes. It’s an enormous ambition, but Home for Good Festival Manchester Lead Kizzy Laycock believes it’s one that we can achieve in a way that is sustainable and ensures that families are supported to thrive.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Festival Manchester, and to seeing the Church make a transformational difference for children, young people and families in the city.

“I’m so excited for the lifelong impact Festival Manchester will have on lives across the city. We believe that we can see 500 children and young people placed into safe and loving homes. But it’s not just 500 families – it’s also 500 churches who will come alongside those families and pray, support them, cheer them on and welcome these children and young people into their community. It will be transformational. Imagine the impact this will have for generations to come!” Andy Hawthorne, CEO and Founder The Message Trust

There’s something about the city.

Unique spaces with unique stories. Unique challenges, but unique potential.

How can we work together to make a difference in your city?