Blog | How To Equip Your Ministry For Kids with Disabilities

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Our children’s ministries are intended to be safe places for our kids to learn about God’s love and their own identities as God’s beloved children. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: children’s ministry is more than a glorified daycare while parents attend the “big service.” It’s not somehow lesser than ministries for youth or adults. This is precious time to pour into our children, shower them with love, and invite them to encounter God for themselves, setting up how they see themselves and interact with the world for today and tomorrow.

Jesus himself loved children and illuminated their inherent worth in God’s kingdom. Matthew 18:1-5 (NIV) says,

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’”

As Jesus elevates the “lowly position” of children, how much more does he elevate those children who are living with disabilities? Time and time again in the gospels, Jesus sees and heals the deaf, the blind, the sick, and the lame. In his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-10, Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek and others, saying that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

Inviting children with disabilities into our already-established children’s programs can feel overwhelming or even risky. New considerations, unpredictable situations, and potentially disruptive behavior creates new challenges for your staff, volunteers, current children, and even the space itself. It can be difficult to know how or where to start. But, if our ministries are here to bring God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, then we are compelled to joyfully make supportive space for all children, including those living with disabilities and special needs.

Here are 7 steps on how to begin:

Know the lingo.

Instead, we should say:
“A child with disabilities”
“A girl who has a disability”
“A kid living with [specific condition]”
“A boy with [specific condition]”

This isn’t to be politically correct or overly sensitive. Words and names have power. The more you speak labels over anyone, the more those labels reinforce their identity. That’s why a simple, subtle switch from “a disabled child” to “a child with disabilities” makes such a big impact. A child is more than their disability even as it is an important part of their lived reality.

You can learn more about the nuances and tips for speaking about people with disabilities in these guidelines.

Ask before you act.

If making your children’s ministry inclusive to children with special needs feels overwhelming to you considering your current resources, volunteers, spaces, budget, and more . . . take a deep breath. You don’t have to start with installing elevators or building brand new breakout rooms. The best place to begin is by asking the families with children with disabilities in your congregation how they are or are not currently feeling supported by your children’s ministry.

For instance, a girl with sensory sensitivities might not need an entire quiet room if a fidget toy and weighted blanket could help her stay calm and engaged. You don’t have to address every possible disability at once as long as you are addressing the needs relevant and urgent to your current community.

Mind your physical spaces.

Making your physical spaces more accessible is an important part of creating an inviting and inclusive environment for anyone entering your campus. The first step is auditing your church campus and identifying any relevant entrances or meeting spaces that might not be accessible for people in wheelchairs.

Introducing ramps and elevators where necessary is ideal but evidently a costly investment. If you don’t have the money to renovate your campus to be more accessible, you can apply for grants from organizations like Joni & Friends. Again, it’s ok to start small. You can start with ensuring that one main entrance is wheelchair accessible rather than tackling every possible entrance at once. Same goes for adding elevators— if that’s not something that’s possible given your architecture or budget or renting agreement, try relocating the room where your children’s ministry meets to a more accessible space so that everyone can participate.

Calm the senses.

Many children, whether they live with disabilities or not, can be easily overwhelmed by stimuli. Breakout rooms are a great solution for those easily overwhelmed by sound and lights or for children that need a quiet place to relax for whatever reason.

However, building out a whole new room for this purpose can be a large undertaking. Your particular ministry might find that creating bags with tools and toys that help children deal with sensory overload could be sufficient. These bags could include fidgets, weighted items, and noise canceling headphones. This article by Ministry Spark offers some comprehensive insight and practical ideas for helping children find relief from sensory overwhelm, taking into account all nine (yes, nine!!) of our senses.

You can also consider finding ways to limit sensory overwhelm in your services altogether. If the size of your space allows, try doing unplugged worship experiences and limiting flashing lights, smoke machines, and any strong smells from perfume or lotion.

Include an interpreter.

If your ministry serves children with hearing loss, hiring an interpreter for your ministry could be a game changer. Not only could an interpreter help include all children in the teaching and interactive moments of your service, it’s also a valuable visual aid to all learners. An interpreter is also highly visible, which can help spark meaningful discussions in your community about inclusion, disabilities, and accessibility.

We could all use a buddy.

Families with children with disabilities are often working around the clock as they care for their children. Finding adequate child care can be difficult and carving out time for vacations and personal breaks even more so. This intensity can cause strain on marriages in addition to the personal mental well being of each parent.

As a church, we have the unique opportunities to offer these parents and families respite as we care for their children. Depending on your ministry’s particular abilities, consider finding ways to provide opportunities for parents to spend some time alone together. Whether it’s a couple hours on a Sunday afternoon for parents errands or an evening during the week for dinner date, find a way to put into your church’s events schedule once a week, month, quarter, or year.

And your church doesn’t have to do this all alone. Partnering with organizations that are already doing this work is a great option. Nathaniel’s Hope, Joni & Friends, and Best Buddies are just a few of the great nonprofits helping support families and children with disabilities.

Share your good news.

Words, we know, make a difference. Don’t be afraid to boldly share about your inclusivity and accessibility efforts on your church’s website and social media pages. This goes beyond virtue signaling or making a good first impression. Families with children with special needs are looking for easy ways to find detailed information about your children’s program to help them understand if it would be a supportive space for their child. If possible, consider assigning a point person for questions and concerns about how your church and ministries care for children with disabilities and their families to make a first-Sunday experience as welcoming and helpful as possible for new families.

In Matthew 18:6, after Jesus elevates children, he says, “‘If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.’” The point here is not the threat of retribution via drowning but just how serious Jesus is about the wellbeing of his children.

Jesus continues in Matthew 18:10, “‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’” All of Jesus’s little ones, including those with disabilities, handicaps, and learning difficulties, are of insurmountable value to God. When we support these children, their families, and serve them according to their needs, we are following in the loving footsteps of Christ.

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” When we support these children, their families, and serve them according to their needs, we are following in the loving footsteps of Christ and glorifying God in the process.

Children’s pastors, thanks for your hard work, sacrifices, and big hearts. God is using you in unbelievable ways to nurture the children in your congregation, serve their families, and multiply God’s love in our communities.