Supporters will often want to find ways to provide support, love and care to the wider family of their sponsored child. In order to benefit as many families throughout the community as possible, Compassion generally registers only one child from a family. Rather than being jealous, the rest of the family usually considers one child's sponsorship a great blessing because the support that child receive enables them to dedicate more of their resources to providing for other family members' needs.

Although our Child Sponsorship Program connects one sponsor with one child, our local church partners will generally know each family member personally and endeavour to develop a supportive and restorative friendship with the household. Local staff will often include siblings and parents in many of the child development centre activities, particularly Christmas celebrations, and usually also offer other programs and activities like Sunday school and school holiday classes that are open to all children. You can also help your sponsored child's siblings to feel involved by including them in your letters and prayers, or giving a financial family gift, which will benefit each member of the family. 100 per cent of your family gift will be given to the child's family to help them meet their most pressing needs.

Find out more:

Does child sponsorship cause jealousy among children who are not registered?

How does Compassion decide which children receive support?

Give a family gift