Q & A
How much of my support reaches the children's home?
Bethesda Children’s Foundation expenses are currently met by the trustees so all of your money reaches the children's home. We do not expect this to change significantly in the future but if it does, we will, of course let you know.
Do I sponsor an individual child?
Your generous support is pooled to support all the children at the Metty home collectively. Originally we did try and associate children with sponsors, but modern safeguarding practices advise against linking names and photos to protect privacy. It also removes a big administrative burden from our hardworking team in India, freeing them up to focus on care rather than managing paperwork. By giving to the home as a whole, you help ensure that every child gets the education and care they need. We work together with the staff in the home to share regular updates about life in the home and everyone's progress.
Isn't it better for children to be nurtured in families?
Yes! JK Rowling founded a charity Lumos with the aim "all children will grow up in loving, nurturing, protective families by 2050" - and there will be no more need for orphanages. We've talked to Sam and the India team about their approach and the way the children come into the home in Metty.The children who are cared for by Bethesda have come from family situations where they are not being cared for. They have been judged by the Indian Social Care Authority to be at risk, and need to be looked after away from the family. Other possibilities like being cared for by extended family are considered before they reach this stage.
Once welcomed into the home the welfare of the children is carefully monitored by the authorities through weekly reports (which take a lot of time for the Bethesda staff to prepare) and regular visits. Following a surprise visit in 2019 the inspectors judged the Bethesda home to be the best in the district!
A committee of representatives of the children meets weekly to discuss ideas and issues that are collected from all the children. They are encouraged to maintain contact with their family and they can return if the authorities judge the situation to have improved enough. For example, in May 2026, Bethesda staff travelled 2,500km across India to arrange for five children to be safely reunited with their families.
Culture and infrastructure to allow for more fostering or adoption to families does not seem to be present in south India at the moment, we can pray that the situation moves towards this. For now the Bethesda home represents the best chance these children have for a happy, healthy, supported, loving environment - and this judged by the Indian government authorities, which is not aligned with Christianity.
How is the chilren's welfare protected?
For our UK charity, any BCF trustee visiting the home will have a DBS check verified by the BCF Safeguarding Officer.
We will review the safeguarding policies and procedures in place for Bethesda home at least every two years. The BCF Safeguarding Officer, who is a qualified psychotherapist specialising in child wellbeing, thoroughly reviewed the safeguarding procedures in place at the home during a visit in July 2023.
The home is inspected regularly by the Indian authorities to ensure safeguarding, fire safety, food and hygiene, education and buildings meet the required standards for the children's welfare. Staff make weekly reports on the children's welfare to the Indian authorities Staff are checked against an offenders' register and need to regularly re-register with the authorities. Children can raise concerns to the India social care authority via an on-site postbox that the Bethesda Mission staff do not have access to. A committee of representatives of the children meets weekly to discuss ideas and issues that are collected from all the children.
