1 of 14

5 Steps to Take

for Accessibility in Your Children's Ministry

sandrapeoples.com/nobts/

2 of 14

Devotional reflection: Mark 2:1-12

The four friends in Mark 2 had challenges they had to overcome to get their paralytic friend to Jesus: they were short on time, there wasn't enough space, and it was up to just the four of them.

We face similar challenges today when trying to make space for kids with disabilities in our ministries. We feel like we don't have enough time to figure out a plan, there isn't enough space to add new classes, and we don't have enough volunteers.

How did these four friends overcome their challenges? What was their motivation? And what was the result of the steps they took?

3 of 14

1. Understand the need in your community.

How many children in your school district are on IEP or 504 plans? If they need support at school, they will likely need support at church as well.

  • Recent census reports say 2 in 7 families in the US have a member with a disability
  • School districts can have 13-25% of their students under IEP or 504 plans

We should see these numbers reflected in our churches as well.

4 of 14

What kids are we talking about?

Those who need adjustments to understand the lesson and be able to participate in the activities include:

  • Special needs/disabilities: autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, being deaf or blind, other physical/cognitive disabilities, sensory processing disorder
  • Learning disabilities: dyslexia, dysgraphia, other oral/written language disorders, executive function deficits
  • Mental health/behavioral diagnosis: ADD, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, trauma, social anxiety, OCD

5 of 14

2. Identify the three ministry environments that churches can offer.

  • Inclusive - An inclusive setting is in a typical children's ministry class of same-age peers, often with help from a teen or adult buddy trained and prepared to meet the student's additional needs.
  • Specialized - A specialized setting is a self-contained class designed for students who benefit from having curriculum and a space that meets their additional needs. This is often in a sensory-friendly classroom.
  • Hybrid - A hybrid model combines both options for kids who benefit from time with their typical peers but can sometimes need to take a break in a sensory room.

6 of 14

3. Review policies to be more inclusive and keep everyone safe.

Do you have policies in place now that wouldn't work for a child with disabilities? Are there additional risks in inclusive ministries? How do we keep everyone (the child with disabilities, their peers, and our volunteers) safe?

  • Review and adjust your toileting policy
  • Make a plan to meet high medical needs
  • Decide if parents need to be on campus & when they will be contacted
  • Be aware of security for eloping children
  • Develop a plan for aggressive or self-injurious participants
  • Consider CPI training and Ministry Safe

7 of 14

4. Communicate the available options with parents.

How can parents know about the options for their child at your church, and how can they communicate their child's needs with you? Asking questions in the right way will help parents open up to us about their child's needs.

On your children’s ministry intake form, have a question like, “Our church cares for the success and safety of each participant in our children’s ministry. Does your child have any allergies, medical conditions, learning differences, special needs, or disabilities we should be aware of?” If yes, follow up with more questions.

8 of 14

Other tips for communication:

  • Include info about the options for inclusion on your website on the children’s ministry page and the disability ministry page
  • Ask questions that get positive responses, like what does your child love or what do you love about your child
  • If you have a name for your disability ministry, make sure it’s clear to unchurched people and those unfamiliar with the Bible that it’s a disability ministry. Example from our devotional passage today: Thru the Roof Ministry should be Thru the Roof Disability Ministry

9 of 14

5. Focus on discipleship.

How can we adjust the curriculum and our expectations to ensure every child has an opportunity to hear, understand, and respond to the gospel?

When setting a learning goal, think of all the ways the child could reach that goal and show you they mastered the skill—universal design for learning.

​

Because each child is unique, you can develop IDPs for each one—individualized discipleship plans. IDPs take into consideration the child’s likes, dislikes, strengths, goals, and behaviors.

Find an IDP template at lifeway.com/specialneeds in the Be All In Inclusion Guide

10 of 14

IDP Goals for Scripture Memory:

Here's what the personalized goals could be if a student isn't able to memorize a verse independently:

  • Listen to friends repeating the verse while following along as a teacher/buddy points to the words (on the board, in a workbook, or on a handout)
  • Use a communication device or sign language to communicate the Bible memory verse
  • Use recordable buttons to put phrases from the verse in order
  • Fill in the blanks of the verse using words or pictures/PECS
  • Repeat the Bible memory verse with prompting after each word or each group of words
  • Memorize a shortened version of the verse or passage
  • Sing along to a song that includes the verse

11 of 14

Supporting Positive Behavior Choices:

  • When setting expectations in our ministry classrooms, it's helpful to think about the minimum requirement for compliance.
  • Here's a question that helps me: are we asking kids to change more than we're willing to adapt? If so, let's adjust our expectations and remember the goal—the gospel.
  • Remember: behavior is a form of communication.

12 of 14

The ABCs of Behavior:

  • A is the antecedent.
  • B is the behavior.
  • C is the consequence.

The child controls his or her behavior. We control the antecedent and the consequence. When trying to figure out the cause of the distracting behavior, look at what came before and what came after. Then make changes to meet the need without the behavior happening.

13 of 14

More Resources:

14 of 14

Application Questions

1. What does accessibility look like in your children's ministry now? How many kids with disabilities do you have attending? What supports do you currently have in place?

2. What feels hard about including more kids with disabilities?

  • adding additional volunteers ⏺ training current volunteers
  • communicating with parents ⏺ creating sensory-friendly environments
  • helping the typical kids understand ⏺ knowing what each kid needs
  • keeping everyone safe ⏺ adjusting lessons for different learners
  • supporting positive behavior choices ⏺ other:

3. What resource would help you be able to take the next step?