Christian charity Home for Good and Safe Families (created in 2024 after being two separate organisations) is urging Christians to prayerfully consider fostering following the Children’s Commissioner for England’s latest report exposing the ongoing use of illegal and unsuitable accommodation for children in care.
Sam Lomas, head of advocacy for the charity, said: "This report makes it clear that change will not come through policy alone. It will come through people stepping forward to offer homes with care and commitment."
The report found that, as of September 2025, 669 children in care were living in illegal and inappropriate accommodation including caravans, holiday camps, activity centres, and Airbnbs. Many of these children were also identified in the previous year's data meaning they remained in illegal accommodation for over 12 months. Home for Good and Safe Families says this is far from the community and stability that they "desperately" need.
The charity - which exists to support children, families, and care leavers - identifies the heart of the problem as a "chronic" shortage of family-based care: "Too few foster carers, specialist carers, and supported lodgings hosts mean local authorities are left with limited options, forcing them to choose between bad and worse placements."
Supported lodgings is a provision in which a young person lives with a "host" family who helps them transition to independence; it's for young people in care over 16 years old and for care leavers. Home for Good and Safe Families says that this provision is currently under-utilised but could offer a positive solution for local authorities.
Tarn Bright, co-CEO of the charity, said that it stands with the Children's Commissioner in calling for change: “It is deeply concerning that, despite years of warnings, hundreds of children are still living in extremely inappropriate accommodation... We remain committed to seeing every child grow up in a safe, stable home with lifelong relationships.”
Although the number of unlawful placements fell slightly from 764 last year, local authorities reportedly spent an estimated £353 million on them over the past year, with weekly costs averaging £10,500 per child. According to the report, 36 children were placed in settings each costing more than £1 million as of 1 September, 2025.
Home for Good and Safe Families is asking Christians to prayerfully consider not just fostering, but also offering supported lodgings or supporting families in crisis to give them "the best chance of staying together."
The charity is calling for renewed prayer, action, and advocacy from the church, pointing to the Biblical call to care for vulnerable children and young people.
