"Everyone Belongs” Building Inclusive Churches Through a Neurodivergent Lens
“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.”
Psalm 145:9
As someone who works full time within the neurodivergent community, a SEN parent, a church youth Leader and faithful follower of Jesus, this blog is written from the heart.
Church is meant to be a place of community, belonging, and grace, where everyone can find peace, purpose, and a sense of home. Yet, for many, the church experience can feel exclusive, leaving some individuals feeling like outsiders. Whether it's due to physical barriers, communication difficulties, or social perceptions, there are many who may not feel fully welcomed or included in church life. But the truth is, everyone deserves a place to belong — no exceptions!!
I appreciate that churches have limitations on resources but it costs nothing to provide a welcoming environment where everyone can come and feel a sense of fellowship and home.
For some churches, where do they start with this, below are some ideas to think about and I kindly urge all church leaders to reflect and ask the tough questions – are we truly a welcoming place for everyone regardless of ability, background or circumstances? Are our programmes we run accessible to all, include the youth groups, please don’t forget the important work of youth groups! – Are we fostering a culture of acceptance, understanding and love, just as Jesus did? Even the smallest accommodations can create a big shift in mindsets and help people feel welcomed into the family...
Before we dive into the practicalities and looking at areas that can be improved, lets take a moment to pray for understanding as we look at just a couple of scriptures that leads us to the understanding that Jesus died for ALL not a select few that ‘behave’ like everyone else, or ‘look the same’ or even have the ‘same thoughts’ NO – Jesus came for ALL of us to share his love – We are ALL made in the image of God and are welcomed to join as Children of God; as is written
John 1:12
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Genesis 5:1 – “When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God
Let’s now look to application and how we can take some practical steps towards making church accessible and ensuring every person feels seen, valued, and at home in God’s family.
A few points about sensory-friendly spaces
How’s your lighting? Many individuals can be sensitive to brights lights, equally, others may have poor eyesight and need a little extra, so perhaps see if you can provide zones to lighting, some areas softer and others brighter, so everyone can find a comfortable spot.
Think textures/visuals – Not too much, not too little …hmmm just right - finding a balance in the amount of permanent visuals that are used within the space – lovely banners can help provide focal points within the room and create a sense of safe haven equally vast amounts of bunting or very colourful hangings and art work can be overwhelming especially when mixed with loud voices and, smells and other sensory inputs – so be mindful of the amount used, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from those attending.
Noise-sensitivities: - This one is very tricky as clear communication is vital and you need the congregation to be able to hear, so using microphones will be needed; as someone who sings in worship group from time to time, I’m well known for being noisy – I hope in a good way so I would encourage a culture where you are accepting and that people can do what they need to do, so encourage the use of noise-reducing headphones when needed.
Create quiet-chill out zones: dedicate a quiet area that is available during church services, where individuals can retreat if overwhelmed. This can also be areas that are on the periphery of the main congregation gathering – so listening can still happen but they’re not in the thick of it, which will allow hopefully enough space to decompress slightly.
Provide Clear Communication
Many neurodivergent individuals, may struggle with ambiguous or non-verbal communication. Clear, direct language helps minimise confusion. Written schedules or visual notices, schedules and instructions given in concise step-by-step manner will help. This is especially important for those working with a wide range of children and young people, speak with their parents, who will be experts on their own children, some children and young people will favour a ‘now and next’ approach and a run through of a schedule for the session, so they know what to expect, I’d suggest this is for all children – remove the ‘fear of the unknown’, managed expectations and everyone’s anxiety levels will reduce – social stories can be of use also.
Train Staff and Volunteers
I feel very strongly about this one, and ask all church leaders to offer opportunities for those in leadership, staff & volunteers to receive training to understand possible barriers to accessing church and learning differences; making slight adjustments can have a significant difference for all.
You could simply ask your congregation if you have someone who works in that field of work – we are saved by grace to do ‘good works’ – pretty sure that individual won’t mind offering up their time to support development in this area.
Otherwise, there are some wonderful organisations in the UK that offer training and also carry out church audits to review the great ideas that I’m sure are already in place:
· @Urban Saints urbansaints.org/ADDITIONALNEEDS – I personally have undertaken training through urban saints for accessibility in churches when I was a youth worker in previous church settings. Mark Arnold who oversees and has developed a range of programmes since is a wealth of knowledge and empathetic ear.
· @The Church of England via their task group - churchofengland.org-barrier-free-belonging provides resources and training for churches to improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities, including neurodivergent individuals.
· @The National Autistic Society (NAS) National Autistic Society although not church-specific, the NAS provides training on autism awareness and inclusivity, which can be extremely useful for churches wanting to become more accessible to neurodivergent individuals. They have a range of free resources.
The DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) Churches Accessibility Project nationalchurchestrust.org/accessibility This project provides churches with free advice on making their buildings and services more accessible in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act, which includes support for people with neurodivergence.
· Count Everyone In throughtheroof.org via counteveryonein.org.uk
Count Everyone In is a UK-based Christian charity dedicated to inspiring and equipping churches in England and Wales to be welcoming and accessible to adults with learning disabilities. They provide accredited workshops, such as the "Know & Grow" series, to educate church communities on effectively including individuals with learning disabilities. They have various resources including Makaton-signed worship songs.
Inclusive Youth Programmes
Children and teens with neurodivergence may benefit from tailored youth programmes that focus on inclusivity and diverse needs. - Design your learning and youth activities that include a range of learning styles, provide opportunities for social interaction in smaller groups or where possible 1:1, and clear behavioural expectations It will require flexibility within the group and ability to adjust the learning to the levels of the child/YP. Do think of how tone of voice and perceived rejections can have a detrimental effect and felt more strongly by some neurodivergent children, let some of the ‘mainstream’ expectations go – if you have a child who listens better if in a ‘nest’ style set up – meet that young person at that level – let them find their safe space within the setting – far better they have the ability to listen from afar in their safe zone than not hear the word at all – If someone can feel psychologically safe in an environment, they will be far more likely to be able to access the learning and engage in activities . Jesus meets us where we are, so youth leaders need to be meeting their young people at the level they are!
Offer Peer Support Networks
Have the ability to offer opportunities to learn from each other regardless of age, create that family set up so people have designated safe people they can learn from and provide support. Promote open discussions about neurodivergence in sermons, small groups, or community events, highlighting the value of diversity.
Be Patient and Offer Grace
Neurodivergent individuals may need extra time or space to process information and participate in church activities. Foster a culture of patience, understanding that not all neurodivergent individuals will engage in the same way. Allow for different levels of participation without judgment.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, it’s a few easy ideas to think about and implement; by taking these steps, churches can create an environment where neurodivergent individuals feel welcomed, valued, and supported, fostering a sense of belonging for everyone.
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."
1 Corinthians 12:12-14