By Purity Njoki.
When a family begins to struggle, the signs are not always visible to government offices or child protection agencies. They are mostly noticed first within the community i.e. in a church, during a fellowship meeting, through a conversation with a pastor or by a church member who knows what a family is going through. This places the Church in a unique position. Beyond being a place of worship, it is a trusted community institution with the influence and relationships needed to help protect children and strengthen families.
This was one of the key messages that emerged from the Clergy Engagement Forum on Care Reform held on 27th August, 2026 at Word of Faith Church, organized by the State Department for Children in partnership with Child in Family Focus – Kenya (CFFK), Legacy 4 Children and World Without Orphans – Kenya (WWO). The forum brought together clergy and child protection stakeholders to reflect on how the Church can contribute to Kenya’s care reform agenda.
Kenya’s care reform agenda is grounded in the principle that children should grow up in safe, loving and nurturing families in line with their best interests. When families experience challenges such as poverty, loss, illness, unemployment or other difficulties, the appropriate support should focus on strengthening the family instead of unnecessarily separating children from those they know and love. The clergy or church leaders can contribute by recognising vulnerability early and helping families access the right support. A pastor may know a single parent who is overwhelmed, a family struggling to meet basic needs or a child who is becoming vulnerable. In such situations, timely intervention can make a great difference.
This support does not always have to be financial. It can include mentorship, parenting guidance, practical assistance, referrals to social services, prayers or simply connecting families to individuals and organisations that can help. Churches can also mobilise their congregations to respond to genuine needs in ways that promote dignity and self-reliance rather than dependency. Another important contribution is increasing public understanding of family and community-based care. Foster care, kinship care, guardianship, adoption and family reintegration provide options for children who cannot safely remain in their current living arrangements. Though, misconceptions and limited awareness can prevent families from considering these avenues.
Through sermons, Bible studies, fellowships, children’s ministries and community outreach, the clergy can provide accurate information and encourage members to explore appropriate forms of care. They can also direct interested families towards the relevant authorities and organisations for assessment, training and support. The Church’s role extends beyond encouraging families to open their homes. It can help create communities where children who have experienced separation, loss, abuse or instability are welcomed and treated with dignity. Foster, adoptive and kinship families may also need encouragement and practical support as they adjust to new caregiving responsibilities.
Child protection must be at the centre of this work. Churches that minister to children must have appropriate safeguarding measures in place. Leaders, volunteers and congregants should understand how to recognise and respond to abuse, neglect and exploitation while concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing should be taken seriously and referred through the appropriate channels. The clergy can also influence how communities understand institutional care. Through preaching and public conversations, they can help move the narrative away from the assumption that placing a vulnerable child in an institution is always the best solution. Where it is safe and appropriate, strengthening families and supporting family and community-based alternatives should remain a priority.
For this work to be effective, the Church cannot operate alone. Care reform requires collaboration among government, communities, churches, child protection organisations and other stakeholders. Churches can strengthen links with County and Sub-County Children Services and other relevant actors to ensure that families receive appropriate referrals and specialised support when needed.
As highlighted during the clergy engagement, “The church is a resource in and of itself and by identifying what we have in our hands like Moses in the Bible, can be used by God to make notable impact in supporting and caring for vulnerable children and families in our communities.” It can listen to a struggling parent, identify a child at risk, strengthen safeguarding, equip caregivers, support foster and kinship families, connect households to services and use its voice to advocate for children. The Church too has a role to play in care reform and that role begins in the communities it serves.