Home for Good: BUS Families Opening their Homes and Hearts
Every child deserves a home where they will be nurtured and enabled to thrive. Home for Good has a bold vision to find a home for every child who needs one in Scotland through fostering, adoption and supported lodgings for teenagers. We hear from 3 folks from around our BUS network who have opened their homes and they share with us below.
We believe the Church has a crucial role to play. When we read the Bible, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that this is an issue close to God’s own heart.
There are currently over 10,000 children in care across Scotland right now. Home for Good aim to inspire and equip individuals, families, and whole church communities across Scotland to play their part to ensure that every child experiences the stability, care and sense of belonging they deserve.
You can find out about our UK-wide mission here.
What part could you play?
Home for Good believes that everyone has a part they can play to help turn our vision into a reality. We provide content and training packages to practically equip individuals and families, and we journey closely with them as they explore fostering, adoption or supported lodgings. We mobilise and resource churches to welcome, understand and support families who love and raise children with care experience.
Perhaps your church already has some foster carers, adoptive parents or supported lodgings hosts. We would love to connect with you to chat about how your church community can best support these families and be communities of welcome to those with lived experience of care.
Perhaps your church has a passion for young people and children. Could there be a family or individual in your community that would consider fostering, adoption or supported lodgings? Or is there someone who could volunteer with us to help share Home for Good’s vision in your local area?
Perhaps you run a toddlers or youth group at your church. Have you considered facilitating a peer support group specific to families who foster, adopt or offer supported lodgings? Could you explore new ways to enable every family to feel welcome in your group?
Perhaps you’re not sure how your church family could respond, but you’d love to find out more. Home for Good have created a free Bible study resource, Make Room, designed to help you explore these topics further.
Our work with churches in Scotland has powerful and lasting impact. We hear stories of radical hospitality, glorious hope, and stronger community ties.
Stories from the Scottish Baptist Church community
“We have been on the journey towards adoption for two years now – and what a rollercoaster it has been! From initial contact with our local authority to approval, the process took a year; a very intense year that required a lot of self-reflection. That part was fairly straightforward. Matching, however, has been a very different story. It is widely regarded as the toughest part of the journey. A year on, things are looking up as we explore what looks to be a very good match with a little one.
As we look to what the future may hold, we are grateful for the support that Home for Good provides for families like ours. A representative from Home for Good came to lead a service at our church and shared about the challenges that come with adoption, alongside the joys. Home for Good also provide training opportunities and resources for church leaders and children’s workers. I hope our church will make good use of these, so that as a community we are better placed to support not just the child that we will adopt but every child that has experienced early life trauma.” – Natalie and her husband Peter, Pastor of Bute Baptist Church
“I have three birth children and a ten-year-old adopted daughter. We were originally kinship carers for our daughter after she had been in foster care from birth. She moved in with us when she was 17 months old and her adoption was finalised when she was three years old.
Our church family supported us with prayer and a listening ear throughout. Our daughter struggles with anxiety and the church family give her support when she needs it to join in, and space to be herself and sit out when she is feeling anxious.
We host a regular Home for Good Sunday and find the resources very useful in giving our church family an insight into the work of Home for Good and how they can support our family and any others who may attend our church in the future.” – Liz from Carnoustie Baptist Church
“Over some years, the Lord laid the needs of young children in care on our hearts. When our youngest daughter was six years old, we took the opportunity to become foster carers.
Since then, little ones have been welcomed into our family. We loved them and held them close until their future was resolved.
In so many ways, fostering was the hardest thing we ever did. Yet in caring for these children, we learned so much about ourselves, our family and the privilege of following Jesus wherever he leads us. It was incredibly rewarding to see each of them thrive and develop as they responded to the love and care of our family. Our own children were an integral part of our team and learnt so much from fostering; becoming deeply caring young people, aware of significant societal issues, committed to our own family and learning to process loss.” – Andy and Lucy Hayes, Minister at Bridge of Don Baptist Church, Aberdeen
Get Involved this Christmas
This Christmas, we’re inviting churches in every corner of the UK to join our ‘Every Heart, Every Part’ campaign and we’d love your church to get involved!
Our new short film looks at the Nativity story through the eyes of school children, who share with us that the Christmas story is one of lots of people playing their part to prepare to welcome Jesus – to ‘prepare Him room!’. It is supported by a full package of resources, including congregational prayer and an activity idea for children.
You can access all the material here.
Together, we can build a better society for each and every child. Together we can find a home for every child who needs one.
You can talk to a member of the Home for Good team today. Ring our Enquiry Line on 0300 001 0995 or contact your Regional Lead below.
Southern Scotland Regional Lead (includes Central Belt) – Duncan Shelton – duncan.shelton@homeforgood.org.uk – 020 3832 2719
Northern Scotland Regional Lead – Rosie Campbell – rosie.campbell@homeforgood.org.uk – 020 3832 2554
