Author: The Additional Needs Blogfather

Mark Arnold (The Additional Needs Blogfather) is the Additional Needs Ministry Director for Urban Saints, co-founder of the ‘Additional Needs Alliance’, a ‘Churches for All’ partner, a member of the ‘Council for Disabled Children’, the ‘European Disability Network’ and the ‘Living Fully Network’, serves on the executive for ‘Children Matter!’ and writes a monthly additional needs column for Premier Youth and Children’s Work (YCW) magazine as well as being a writer for Firefly Community, DAD.info and Key Ministry among others. Mark is dad to James, a 20-year-old Autistic young man who journey's with Epilepsy, Learning Difficulties and Anxiety, and to Phoebe, an 22-year-old history student recently graduated from Winchester University.

Trump And Disability

by The Additional Needs Blogfather, posted in All Blog Posts, Parents/Carers

If Donald Trump were food he would be Marmite. The world, and America in particular, is divided between those who love him and hang on his every word, and those who still can’t quite believe that this man is the President of the most powerful nation on earth.  Whatever your position on Trump, the unavoidable … Continue reading Trump And Disability

Additional Needs: Acceptance Is A Choice

by The Additional Needs Blogfather, posted in All Blog Posts, Children's/Youth Workers, Parents/Carers

Acceptance (noun), defined by the English Living Dictionary as;  1. The action of consenting to receive or undertake something offered. 2.  The process or fact of being received as adequate, valid, or suitable.  3. Agreement with or belief in an idea or explanation.  4. Willingness to tolerate a difficult situation. Acceptance is a word that … Continue reading Additional Needs: Acceptance Is A Choice

All You Need Is Love?

by The Additional Needs Blogfather, posted in All Blog Posts, Parents/Carers

Since John Lennon wrote this iconic Beatles song 50 years ago, there has been a fair amount of speculation about what it means, what he was trying to tell us… “There's nothing you can do that can't be done. Nothing you can sing that can't be sung. Nothing you can say, but you can learn … Continue reading All You Need Is Love?

2016: A Year When Things Started To Shift

by The Additional Needs Blogfather, posted in All Blog Posts, Children's/Youth Workers

For those of us striving to make a difference for children and young people with additional needs or disability, especially in our churches and the communities served by them, this has been a very significant year indeed.