Every child deserves a Home Advantage

No child should be confined to an orphanage, deprived of the love of family and the advantages of home. 

Athletes do better when they play somewhere familiar, with a home crowd of friends and family cheering them on. In sport, that’s known as Home Advantage. 

But Home Advantage is critical for children, too. Every child needs to grow up with a sense of belonging and the support of a safe, loving family. That Home Advantage gives children the chance to grow up happy and healthy and to chase their dreams. Children like Uwase*.

But 5.4 million children worldwide are denied this, confined in loveless orphanages away from home. 

These orphanages don’t help children, they harm them. And there’s decades of research to prove it.

Shockingly, 8 in 10 children in orphanages still have family who could take care of them, with the right support. And the rest could have loving foster families. 

By supporting our Home Advantage campaign, you can help drive the change needed to end orphanages for good. 

Why does my support matter?

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Pledge your support to ensure that no child is confined to an orphanage, deprived of the love of family and the advantages of home

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Why your support matters 

We support families, we close orphanages, and we campaign for change. That’s what Hope and Homes for Children does.

But to end orphanages for good we need everybody on board. Which is hard when almost 70% of people in the UK (a major source of orphanage funding) believe orphanages protect children (1).

Our Home Advantage campaign aims to change that, by raising awareness of the harm of orphanages and the importance of family for every child. 

With our help, Uwase has a new mum and dad

With the love and encouragement of her adoptive parents and siblings, Uwase is thriving. After four years of only crawling on her hands and knees in an orphanage, within four months in her new home, Uwase took her first steps. Now she can walk, run and play and becomes more independent every day.

Read Uwase's story

our Home Advantage champions

Our amazing Home Advantage Champions understand the value of the love of a family and the advantages of home.

Natalie Pinkham – Sky Sports F1 Presenter

“Home Advantage makes me think of my parents and the love they showed me growing up and still do, also the amazing love they shared with children they fostered and the joy that brought. Every child needs and deserves that. Always family, never orphanages.”

Damon Hill – 1996 F1 World Champion

“When my dad died I realised that the advantages of home are something we can all take for granted, how my mum had to struggle to keep the family afloat. And as a father, family is the most important thing. No child should be in an orphanage when it’s possible to find them a loving home.”

Jamie Baulch – 3x World Champion Sprinter

“My Home Advantage was definitely my amazing parents, they adopted me when I was a baby and gave me all the love and support I could have ever wanted. The idea that a child wouldn’t have that opportunity and instead be confined to a loveless orphanage is unimaginable.”

our home advantage campaign video

Three ways we help give children a Home Advantage

Our impact to date

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The number of orphanages we've closed.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

The number of children we've helped transition into loving, family-based or alternative care.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

The number of children we've prevented from entering orphanages and separation from their families.

Uwase holds her little sister in her arms
Uwase and her little sister enjoying the love of family and advantages of home.

Who are Hope and Homes for Children?

Since 1994, Hope and Homes for Children has been working to stop the institutionalisation of children. We’re 200 people, in ten countries, inspiring organisations, including the UN, EU and governments around the world, to close the doors of orphanages forever. Instead, we fight for every child to feel the love and belonging of a safe family home.

Donate to our Home Advantage campaign

Have a question about Home Advantage? For press and general inquiries, or if you’re an organisation looking to get involved with Home Advantage, get in touch here.

Home Advantage Logo

Source: Survey conducted by Intellisurvey/Prophet on behalf of Hope and Homes for Children between Nov – Dec 2022, base 618 UK adults. 68% agreed that ‘Orphanages take care of children’ compared to 32% who agreed that ‘Orphanages harm children’. Only 5% of respondents agreed strongly that ‘Orphanages harm children’.