Incorporating Children with Special Needs. Biblical Basis: God’s Heart for the Overlooked Biblical Basis: John 5 If individual or families impacted by

Incorporating Children with Special Needs

Biblical Basis: God’s Heart for the Overlooked

Biblical Basis: John 5

If individual or families impacted by special needs and disability choose to attend or visit our church, will they feel that we are accepting of and accessible to their needs and differences?

It is the church’s responsibility to thoughtfully, intentionally, and respectfully engage everyone – because God loves them all.

Biblical Basis: God’s Heart for the Overlooked

Support for Families Impacted by Disability

How do we support families?

• At-birth diagnosis• Early years diagnosis


At-Birth - Principle #1:First contacts are most valued and should be made by someone with whom the parents already knows and with whom they are very comfortable.


Guidelines for “At-Birth” Support:• Assign initial support person on a case

by case basis.• Utilize emails and texts for initial

contacts.


At-Birth Principle #2:Validation for parents’ feelings of loss is more important to them than receiving an explanation of that loss.


Guidelines• Talk less, listen more. • Gift of presence.


Early Years - Principle #1Recognize the parents’ journey with the child has been long and that the diagnosis will be met with mixed emotions of grief and relief.


Be Mindful Of:• Some parents will not reveal diagnosis.• Some parents will be in denial.• Parents genuine fear of exclusion.


Practices:• Identify and engage key support

ministry influencers.• Find ways to facilitate interaction and

acceptance.


Early Years – Principle #2:Parents have an obligation to share knowledge about their child which could significantly benefit or protect the child, care givers, other peers, and church staff.


Practices:• Create an open and disclosing

environment.• Involve parents in creating risk

management procedures for their child.


Church Family – Principle #1:Ministry leaders must care most about the family’s connection inside the church – spiritually with God and emotionally with others.


Be Mindful that:• Special needs issues affect churches of

every size.• Developing an inclusion support

ministry will require an investment of people, time, and resources.

• Some people’s misunderstanding is ignorance; others, a lack of compassion


Church Family – Principle #2:Develop a vision and ministry focus enabling a more seamless integration of individuals with support needs.


Practices:• Free the ministry to focus on Jesus.

Allow the children to enjoy church. Make serving in your ministry fun! Establish support boundaries for

your volunteers. Ensure parents enjoy their church

experience.


Practices:• Establish a mission statement.• Establish what your ministry can and

cannot do.‐ There is nothing wrong with directing a family

to another church that can meet an individual’s needs when the directing is done with love, respect, and genuine concern.


Church Family – Principle #3:Understand that there is no single way for a church to provide special needs inclusion that will please everyone.


Church Models of Support:• Integrated Support• Specialized Support• Hybrid Support


Church Family – Principle #4:When developing a child’s support plan it is more important to arrive at an agreement with that child’s parents than it is to ear approval from any outside party.


Practices:• Customized care• Optimal support approach

Principles and Practices for Ministry

Creating a Ministry Space:• Beg, borrow, and steal ideas!• Start simple – don’t go hog wild.• Incorporate ideas from volunteers and

professionals.• Use catalogues.• Check with church custodians: wide

doors, fire regulations, etc.


Sensory Issues:• Buy headphones• Get dimmer lights• Use iPads/Tablets• Buy locks for doors• Fidget toys


Programming:• Main principle: create what works for

your kids. • Be fluid, flexible, and fearless. • Imagine template.


Intake Interviews:• Creating a written intake document is

paramount to the success and safely of everyone involved.

• Home visit.• Imagine sample.


Volunteers Recruitment:• Find like-minded people.• Advertise, advertise, advertise.• Create promo video.• Church ministry fair.• Recruit from Bible Colleges.


Terminology Tips:• See handout document.


Resourcing:• theinclusivechurch.wordpress.com• joniandfriends.org• Authors: Amy Fenton Lee, Stephanie

Hubach, Jeff McNair• Curriculum: LifeWay, Bethesda Series,

Orange, Friendship Ministries


Resourcing:• Networking:

Northview: Brent Lanigan Willingdon: Mellisa Ley Southridge Baptist: Ruth Jarvie Ladner Baptist: Kathy Mawhorter

• Schools, conferences, cold contacts

Documents

Incorporating Children with Special Needs. Biblical Basis: God’s Heart for the Overlooked Biblical Basis: John 5 If individual or families impacted by