There is an often-overlooked short story in the Gospels that many miss but which, while short, is rich with symbolism, meaning, and most of all hope! It’s the story of when a Canaanite woman (sometimes referred to as a Syrophoenician woman) came to Jesus to ask him to heal her daughter, how the disciples and … Continue reading How The Faith Of The Canaanite Woman Inspires Us Not To Give Up
Just because James didn’t know it was his birthday didn’t mean we could treat it like any other day; we wanted to give James great memories to look back on, for him to know that he is loved, that we care enough for him to make his day extra special anyway. And it worked, it really was the very best of birthdays and James was smiling all the way through.
I don’t really think about what I do as ‘work’ anymore. It’s what I’m ‘meant’ to do, it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. If a distant relative that I had never known happened to leave me a million pounds, I would still do what I do, I can’t not do it, it’s my calling, my ikigai… What is yours?
With better understanding about our many senses and sensory processing difficulties, and with the right strategies in place, every leader can learn to make all that they do inclusive for every child and young person. Learning that behaviour is a form of communication is a great place to start.
I know families like ours whose children (of any age) have been housebound for years or have not been inside anywhere new for a long time. James’ story gives these families hope; hope that their child may be supported to make a breakthrough too, hope that there may be a mountain top for them to enjoy someday as well… maybe sooner than they think!
How about thinking about whether our children’s and youth work, as well as our church provision as a whole, meets the needs of children and young people with additional needs and their families? One great way to check where we are at with that is to do a simple audit to understand what we are already doing well, what is a ‘work in progress’, and what might need a bit more attention...
For me my New Year resolution isn't something that will fade after a day, a week, a month; it is a calling that will extend through this year and beyond as long as God gives me breath in my body...
Once again the news is filled with horror; once again awful scenes from Ukraine fill our TV screens; but this time it's not the war with Russia that makes us shudder, it's footage of the special needs institutions, places of utter despair and heart-wrenching abuse and misery, that breaks our hearts.We've seen it before; the … Continue reading Standing With Ukraine But Not In This: Ukraine’s Disabled Young People
As we remember the nativity story it might be hard to imagine how this familiar scene can bring good news to children with additional needs and their families. Here’s eight reasons why we should think differently though…
Most of the time, as parents of a child with additional needs, things work as they should. That doesn’t happen by accident, it takes a huge amount of planning and energy to ensure that everything goes smoothly, but to an unknowing onlooker everything looks under control, relatively calm, generally successful, like watching a grizzly bear … Continue reading Being An Additional Needs ‘Grizzly Bear’ Parent
Delightful Handmade Dog Products and Gifts
An additional needs Dad and Son baking adventure...
Special Education Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
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