These blog posts include tips to help children’s and youth workers engage with, include, and create places of belonging for everyone, especially children and young people with additional needs.
20% of children and young people have an additional need or disability of some kind; if your church includes children and young people, some of them are likely to need additional support. Many of these children and young people, and their families, feel excluded from a wide range of social and other activities, including church, … Continue reading Six Ways To Make Your Children’s Work And Holiday Club More Inclusive
I have a dream that my son will one day live in a nation where he will not be judged by his disability, but by the positive impact he and his life makes, by his loving character. I have a dream that one day, children with additional needs and disabilities will join hands with many other children as accepted and loved sisters and brothers.
Many organisations and venues are hosting ‘Disabled Access Day’ on Saturday 10th March, following on from the organised events in 2015-2017. If you’ve not come across Disabled Access Day before, here’s what the organisers say about it: “In 2015 Disabled Access Day began as a day to celebrate good access and created opportunities for people … Continue reading Disabled Access Day? How About Disabled Access Everyday
That moment… that moment as a children’s or youth worker when you realise during the ‘talk time’ that you’ve just lost some of your group. They were able to focus for the first three or four minutes, but now, five minutes in, you see them starting to get distracted, starting to fidget. You’ve lost contact … Continue reading Additional Needs Children’s Work: Using What They Enjoy To Help Them Learn
In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in nativity season! A stress fuelled time of rehearsals, costumes, children trying to learn their parts, performances, tears and tantrums (and that’s just the adults!) Tensions are running high, no one can find the stuffed sheep, and someone has to tell little Jack that the actual shepherds didn’t wear Buzz Lightyear dressing gowns…So, what part is there in the nativity play for a disabled child?
Sometimes, we do things that can make very little sense at all... Sometimes, we do those things unthinkingly, because “It’s always been done that way…”. Sometimes, it’s only when we are challenged to really think about it, that we realise that there might be a better way… That’s the journey I’ve been on when thinking … Continue reading Church Children’s Work: Do ‘Age Groups’ Or ‘Interest Groups’ Work Best?
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, teaches us about how the body of Christ, the church, is made up of many parts. Many parts that combine to make one body, baptized by one Holy Spirit… He goes on to describe the various parts, firstly through metaphor (foot, hand, eye, ear, head etc.) and then … Continue reading What Part Of The Body Of The Church Is A Child With Additional Needs?
In a few weeks time for many, a new academic year will start; in some parts of the country, it starts this week. The start of the new academic year is often the time that church children’s and youth clubs start up again, although of course some have continued during the summer, or have run … Continue reading The State Of The Nation – Additional Needs & Disability In The UK
Prayer is an essential element in inclusive children’s and youth work… seems an obvious thing to say doesn’t it? Yet it still surprises me how many times we overlook including God in what we are doing… Take the ‘phone call I received once as an example of this… In the role that I have, I … Continue reading Prayer – Essential In Inclusive Children’s & Youth Work
Fiddle toys... are they a useful aid to focus and concentration for children? Can they help relieve stress? Are they a distraction for them and others? There has been much discussion about this, some very good and informed input provided (including from my good friend Miriam Gwynne, well worth reading her thoughts on this on her … Continue reading Fidgets, Fiddles, Focus and Fun!
Delightful Handmade Dog Products and Gifts
An additional needs Dad and Son baking adventure...
Special Education Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
The Additional Needs Blogfather 