Transcript Disability Awareness - Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Breaking Barriers & Opening Doors
Welcoming Children with Additional Needs
Denise Keegan & Linda Wray
12 April 2014
Luke 14: 21 - 23
• “Go out quickly into the streets and
alleys of the town and bring in the
poor, the crippled, the blind and the
lame …… so that my house will
be full.”
0BJECTIVES
• Understand the range of emotions and
attitudes expressed by a family
• Develop ideas for how families might benefit
from ministry
• Look at ways of being Inclusive
• Understand your attitudes
• Learn what its like to be disabled
Barriers
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Architectural
Attitudinal
Communication
Programmes/Activities
Definition of Disability
• “a physical or mental impairment, which has
substantial and long term adverse effect on a
person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day
activities”.
• N.B. long term= a period of more than 12
months.
• Ref: DDA (1995)
Definition of Special Needs (SEN)
• The term Special Educational Need is defined in the
legislation as “a learning difficulty which calls for
special educational provisions to be made”. “Learning
difficulty” means that the child has significantly greater
difficulty in learning than the majority of children of his
age and/or has a disability which prevents or hinders
his or her use of everyday educational facilities (or
where the child is below school age would hinder such
use if the child were of school age).
• Special Educational Provision – in addition to or
otherwise different from the education provisions
made for children of the same age in ordinary school.
What are Special Educational Needs?
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Cognitive and Learning
Social, Emotional and Behavioural
Physical
Sensory impairments – hearing/visual
difficulties
• Medical conditions/syndromes
• Communication and Interaction
• Other
Disability is not a choice –
our attitude is.
345,000 disabled people.
1 in 5 disabled.
650 million disabled people in the world
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Least educated
Least able to access transportation
Least employed, and therefore
Poorest, and to our shame
Least evangelised with the lowest proportion
of church involvement
Understanding the unique
problems of the family
• The child/young person
• Parents
• Siblings
INCLUSIVE ACTION
• Do you know children in
your area who have
additional needs?
• Would they want to come
to your
church/organisations?
• How would they get there?
• If the parents can drive,
where would they park?
• How would they get in?
• Would they feel
comfortable when they get
in?
• Would they feel included in
the worship?
• Could they see, hear, reach?
INCLUSIVE ACTION
• Are they included in other activities
• Would they be consulted about their needs?
• Would they be allowed to contribute to the
spiritual life of the church?
• Would they be allowed to contribute to decision
making in the church?
• Are they regarded as an asset?
• Has the Church discovered what people with
additional needs find difficult about coming to
church?
Welcoming Children with
Additional Needs
Practical pointers
Inclusion
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Gather Information
Build up description of the child
Buddy – 1:1
Training
Work as a team
COMMUNICATION
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Eye contact
Instructions short and simple
Simple/familiar words
Body language
Pictures
Print
Making it clear
• Colour
• Font style
• Font size
ENVIRONMENT
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Sound
Lighting
Heat/temperature
Seating
ACTIVITIES
• Physical/games
• Craft
• Worksheets
12 TOP TIPS
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Be focused
Be a team
Be flexible
Be resourced
Be multi-sensory
Be clear and relevant
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Be informative
Be aware
Be big
Be accessible
Be discreet
Be expectant
SCARED
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Safe
Calm
Affirmed
Routine
Empathy
Develop a plan (for the next time)
Getting Started
• Information
• Assess
• Learn
• Love
General Tips
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Spiritual Needs
Talk with parents
Learn
Use Visuals
Experiment
Stability/Routine
Modify/Adapt
Our Responsibility for Action
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Treat as a person first
Respect, protect and promote human rights
Offer a choice
Enable them to develop ability/potential
Positively assist integration into the church
family/community
• Be accessible
How we can offer support:
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Love
Prayers
Valuing
Practical help
In Church
“Carter”
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What are the concerns of : The congregation in general
The Sunday School teacher/Youth Leader
The Minister
What action would be appropriate
Some Examples
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Bloomfield PC – Autism group
West Church Bangor – Sycamore Group
Ballyrashane – Causeway Group
Taughmonagh – Beehive Club
Knock – Youth Club
Harmony Hill – Seed Group
Gardenmore – Sunday Club
Moy – Youth Club
RESOURCES
ORGANISATIONS
Challenging Issues - Disability
Board of
Social Witness