Home for Good Church - In Focus

Welton Baptist, in the Southwest of England, was one of the first churches to sign-up in this new season of the Home for Good Church initiative. Their Home for Good Champion, Judith Parr, shares something of the church’s passion for playing an active part in finding and sustaining homes for children and young people.

Why did you choose to become a Home for Good Church?

We have always been a family focused church, and as a result we have welcomed fostering and adoptive families over the years. As we've learnt more about the stories of those families, we have worked to make sure they feel safe, loved and cared for. We haven't always got it 'right' but many of those children and young people have impacted us individually and collectively and made us want to be the best we can be for all those involved in fostering and adoption.

Becoming a Home for Good Church seemed like the next logical step for us. We might not be the right 'fit' as a church for every child or family who walk through our doors but our prayer is that every child who spends one day, one month, one year or a whole childhood with our church family will leave knowing that they are loved by God, that they matter and that they have immense worth. Home for Good can support us in so many ways as we do this.  

What sorts of things do you currently do to help increase awareness and deepen your engagement as a Home for Good Church?

On a 'whole church' level, we use Home for Good materials in many of our services, including Mother's Day, Father's Day and Christmas. A number of us reference Home for Good, or supporting adopting or fostering families, in our teaching. Our safeguarding training reminds participants of how we keep children and adults at risk safe in our buildings and activities.

On a more specialised level, we offer support groups for fostering and adoptive individuals and families, both within and outside our church. We encourage house groups to support those in their midst – and outside – to think about the practical and emotional needs of fostering and adopting families. 

What are your hopes and aspirations for the difference your church can make as you journey more deeply with this vision?

I would love to see more people within our church 'catch the vision' of finding a home for every child or young person who needs one. This may be to become foster carers, supportive lodgings providers or even adopting, but it could also be walking alongside others on this journey, offering practical and emotional support. I would love our church to be recognised as a safe and valuable environment by social care professionals, and others who make decisions regarding children and young people who come into care.