--- title: "The Father's heart and care for families" date: 2026-10-05T09:00:00+01:00 author: Reuben Grace canonical_url: "https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/the-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families" section: Articles --- Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Father%27s%20heart%20and%20care%20for%20families&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/send?app_id=1769260916495219&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families&display=popup) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) Copy link to this article Share this article The Father's heart and care for families 4 min read Contents Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Father%27s%20heart%20and%20care%20for%20families&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fthe-fathers-heart-and-care-for-families) Copy link to this article Share this article Back to top In this article #### Nine years ago, our lives changed dramatically. My wife Mélanie and I were at court to support a husband and wife from our neighbourhood who had been receiving food from us each week for the past two years through the foodbank. They had two daughters (then aged one and two) who had been taken into care. Before the proceedings started, the children’s guardian (an expert appointed by the court to help the judge make the best possible decision for the children) explained that the children would not be returning to their parents. She asked a question that altered the course of our lives: “Will you look after these children until they are 18? We go into court in 15 minutes. We need a decision.” My wife and I had been missionaries with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), where we had learned much about God’s fatherly heart. That day, we were reminded of His extravagant love and compassion. We said yes. Sponsored[](#) [ ![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) ](https://oakhill.short.gy/ea-web-oct) We discussed the decision with our teenage children and sought prayer and guidance from our church leaders. Together, we felt God was leading us to take this step because we had previously explored the possibility of fostering or adopting, but for various reasons it did not progress further. We now understood why. We lived in Taunton and belonged to a wonderful church that supported us with prayer, encouragement, and practical help. Within four months, the girls came to live with us, and we became one of the many kinship carers who look after more than 141,000 kinship children in England and Wales because the birth parents aren’t able to. This is often because of a death, mental ill health, drugs or alcohol dependency or because they are in prison. Some kinship carers may be grandparents or other relatives, or, like us, friends of the family. We became special guardians to the girls, which is a step between fostering and adoption. It was the start of a journey that would challenge and transform us, and that God would use to support other kinship carers and transform their lives. Romans 5:3 – 5 reminds us that ​“suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope”. This verse became deeply meaningful as we navigated the challenges ahead. > It was the start of a journey that would challenge and transform us and that God would use to support other kinship carers.” We received no information about our responsibilities from the local authorities or how to manage contact with the birth parents, which resulted in the friendship between us breaking down. Despite our best efforts to restore the relationship, it became unsafe, resulting in us moving to the North West of England. Before we left, a wise woman from our church gave us this advice: ​“Find a good church first, and everything else will fall into place.” She was right. We found a church in Southport, with people full of faith, welcoming and serving the community. We thought we had moved to find refuge. Instead, God’s plan was to use the perseverance and character developed through our experiences to serve kinship families facing similar challenges. There was no local kinship support group in the area we moved to. A friend told us that they were a good way to get help, guidance and practical support from people who truly understood the challenges. As I prayed, I felt God prompting me to start one but didn’t know how. I followed the breadcrumbs God often lays in front of us and discovered Kinship, a charity that supports kinship carers with information, training and advice. ![Keith edit 2](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271200%27%20height%3D%27675%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) ![Keith edit 2](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) Keith giving a presentation at his local kinship care group Through Kinship, I was shocked to discover that local authorities have legal duties to support and offer information and guidance to kinship carers. Sadly, many kinship carers, including ourselves, were still not receiving what they were eligible for. I felt a deep sense of injustice on behalf of all those who were being overlooked. I researched what kinship care support should be available and became determined to help others access the information they needed. With help from Kinship and our church, I started a peer support group. Gradually carers came and shared similar concerns and experiences. One woman arrived exhausted and overwhelmed. We listened, encouraged her, and helped her access practical support and information. Two years later, she returned, but now she was smiling, hopeful, and her family was thriving. Seeing that transformation helped me understand God’s plan for kinship families. Over the past five years, God has opened doors far beyond anything we expected. We now support 60 kinship families across Southport; I have worked on improving Kinship’s website and materials so carers can more easily access the help they need. I have also been able to advocate for significant improvements in support for kinship families at a local and even a national level, as well as changes in education and social care. By saying ​“Yes” to God and then providing love, stability, and support, not only have the lives of the two girls we look after been transformed, but many kinship families have experienced God’s love, compassion, restoration and justice as He has transformed their situation through access to better support, care and practical help. How might God use you or your church to support kinship families in your congregation or community? Find out more about kinship care at [kin​ship​.org​.uk](https://kinship.org.uk/). Your reading Count on · turn off 0 You’ve read 0 articles in the last year. Behind what you’re reading is a movement of churches, organisations and individuals standing together. Join us and add your voice to the church being heard where it matters most. [Become a member](/membership/become-a-member/individuals/join-us) Privacy settings *›* Your article count is off. Nothing is being recorded on this device. Turn it back on --- ### About Keith Whittaker ![]()Keith Whittaker lives in Southport with his wife Mélanie, their teenage children and two girls they serve as special guardians for. Keith volunteers with the charity Kinship and they are part of The Community Church Southport. 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