Research
Growing Faith research projects further our understanding of growing faith in the intersections between household, schools, and churches. Find out more about the Growing Faith research projects.
Growing Faith Conference
Growing Faith: Growing Confidence
The annual Growing Faith Conference is for everyone who wants to put children and young people even closer to the heart of all we do in church, home and school - especially where those spheres overlap.
This year's conference will be at the church of St Martin in the Bullring, Birmingham on 24th June, 2026, 10.00 - 17.00. (Coffee from 10.00, conference begins at 10.30)
An inspiring and participative programme will have a strong emphasis on the voice and agency of young people. It will include young people from Growing Faith Hub teams and elsewhere leading worship and sharing their lived experience. We're very excited that our keynote speaker is Dave Boden from Grace Foundation. Dave will help us explore his fascinating and informative work on Gen Alpha.
There will be the chance to catch up with the cutting edge 2026 Growing Faith research into music and faith, and structured opportunities to hear and reflect on the ongoing discoveries of others working in the home/church/school intersections: members of the Hubs teams, Poverty & Disadvantage Network, Chaplaincy Network, Music Network, Strategic Leaders' Programme delegates, fellow researchers, and others who are taking their first steps in the Growing Faith movement or who have local or strategic responsibility for children and young people.
You can expect a day that's informative and transformative, fun and thought-provoking, friendly yet challenging.
Research reports 2024
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What happens to children’s faith if you invest in their spiritual leaders? A fascinating project from Leicester Diocese, where teachers’ spirituality is given the chance to grow.
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A fun-filled intergenerational cross-church/school experiment in Peterborough Diocese, giving older people the chance to work alongside younger ones, with everyone gaining skills in wellbeing.
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In York and Durham Dioceses, very young children were asked about their concept of holiness, with some fascinating findings.
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This small-scale study drew out the joys and difficulties of trying to be an intergenerational worshipping community in an ordinary parish setting.
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In Durham Diocese, the researchers asked to what extent can children become spiritual leaders and agents of change?
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Research like this project in Canterbury Diocese builds on in-depth interviews to grow mutuality in mission between the key stakeholders in a church/school relationship.
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In a project spanning the country, researchers from Liverpool Hope University look into the joys and difficulties of practising faith at home in Christian families.
Mid-project report | Summary of research findings and recommendations
Produced by Dr. Sarah Holmes (lead researcher) for the Kitchen Table Project.
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A project in Ely Diocese examines the impact of a model of hybrid intergenerational church, including Forest Church, on the faith development of children within it.
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The quiet bubble of children’s prayer lives at school, home and in the great outdoors was respectfully observed in this project from Hereford Diocese. Possibly the only existing evidence of prayer happening on horseback…
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Are children’s voices being heard and if so, what difference does that make to the worshipping community? A project from Manchester Diocese looks at practice in school and church.
Full report | Summary report | Video
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In Guildford Diocese, the team gathered fascinating insights into what helps children grow spiritually, listening to children, teachers and parents.
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This study from Blackburn Diocese listened to hundreds of children at that crossover point between primary and secondary school to hear how their faith develops during that time.
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School chaplains are key players in the relationship between home, school, and church: how effective are they and what makes them even more effective in their ministry?
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This research team came up with four simple principles when working across home, church and school: relationships, voices, rhythms and purpose.
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Unfortunately, this project could not be brought to completion, but the team behind this research, (as well as all of us here at the Growing Faith Foundation), learnt some fascinating lessons along the way.
Research Digest 2024
Please find different ways of accessing the research. The Research Digest provides summaries and reflections on the projects. The individual chapters are available separately. There are ‘at a glance’ overviews of each project’s findings. You will also find the 2024 research on chaplaincy: ‘Encountering the Christian Story’.
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Chapter 1 - The Child at the Centre or the Centre of the Child
Chapter 2 - The Child in Church
Chapter 3 - The Child in the Intersection between Church and School
Chapter 4 - Empowering Parents
Chapter 5 - Hearing the Voice of Children
Prefer to hear from the researchers themselves? Listen to our podcast.
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