Neurodiversity and the church

Many of the accessibility strategies used for children are also highly effective for neurodivergent adults. Practical adjustments that can make a big difference include:

• Making earplugs and fidget tools available at the entrance for people to pick up if they want them.
• Providing whiteboards so adults can draw while listening to a talk.
• Clearly showing and telling the congregation what is happening during the service and when.
• Adding breaks within the service so people can get up and move if they need to.
• Offering printed notices or an outline sheet of what is happening in the service for those who need another way to access information.
• Using visual aids alongside spoken words during talks and sermons.
• Creating a more multi-sensory environment, which helps more people engage with what is going on.
• Giving people the choice to respond in whatever way they can.
• Discussing helpful options with individuals, such as arriving a bit later to the start of the service if they find the environment overwhelming.
• Creating alternative seating areas, such as sofas at the back of the church, where people can still hear and participate in the service.

Often, the fear of these additional requirements is greater than the reality. It is important to remember that inclusion should be done together with people, not unto them. To build support without overwhelming your existing teams:

• Start by having conversations with families to ask what support would be helpful for their child. Once you know the specific needs, it is easier to figure out how to meet them.
• Keep in mind that it often only takes a handful of small changes to start moving in the right direction.
• Build your volunteer base step-by-step by starting with a simple, limited-time event, like a two-hour church Easter party.
• Ask people who would be great at this to come along and support children with additional needs during that short event.
• Once volunteers have a positive experience at a party, ask them to step up to a slightly longer event, like a three-morning holiday club.
• After these successful interim steps, people are often much more willing to consider joining a Sunday morning team.
• While building this team, you may need to ask families to help provide support in the interim. However, the ultimate aim is always to recruit enough volunteers so that parents can fully engage in the church services themselves.

It is vital to recognize that all behavior is a form of communication, whether a person is neurotypical or neurodiverse. Behavior may be communicating that a situation is “too much” for them or that they want to do something different. To help reduce behavioural challenges:

• Put structural changes in place for everyone, such as visual schedules and a mix of movement and focus activities. These universal changes often lead to fewer challenges in behaviour.
• Support all children in having regulation moments and access to calming activities when they are feeling overwhelmed, regardless of their specific needs.
• Try doing a calming activity with the entire group, which can make a big difference and enable everyone to join back in together.

Every child and young person is different, so you should let them be your guide.

• Do not expect children and young people to necessarily give specific verbal responses or answer certain questions in order to be taken forward for confirmation.
• A neurotypical child might simply know the right answers to give without actually believing them, while a neurodivergent child who is minimally speaking may not be able to answer the questions but still clearly exudes the love of God.
• Look beyond words and consider the whole person.
• Pay attention to other evidence of their faith, such as how they respond positively to worship, prayer, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Look for how they demonstrate the love of Jesus working in their life.