Did that headline catch your attention?  I hope it did, and I hope it shocked and surprised you!  Surely in this day and age there can’t be anyone who would stop children with additional needs or disabilities, and their families, from being able to access church; anyone who would exclude them from all that church offers; anyone who would prevent them from belonging to the church community, can there?  But sadly, this does happen all too often and some of the people responsible might surprise you!

Church Leaders
People in church leadership, including children’s and youth workers, can be responsible for deliberately or unwittingly excluding children with additional needs or disabilities from their church.  Deliberate acts could be saying to families with a disabled child that, “This might not be the church for you.” or suggesting that they look after their child in a separate room of the church…