Setting Up a Group

Talk to your Youth and Children's team leaders, as well as the wider Leadership Team at your church. It may be helpful to share a link to this website so they can find out more about the resources available.

Ask about suitable rooms and consider the general accessibility of your building, as some children may have physical disabilities and require specialised facilities or easier access.

Think about which children would benefit most from the group. In a larger church, you may initially focus on children attending special schools. In a smaller church, the group may include children with a range of additional needs who find a typical Sunday School setting difficult.

There may also be parents who are beginning to consider specialist education for their child, and this type of group can provide a gentle introduction to a more supportive and structured environment.

It is essential to have committed leaders. They do not need to be professionals, but they should have a genuine interest in supporting children with additional needs.

I have always aimed for a 1:1 ratio of leaders to children. This is much higher than in most school settings, but I would strongly recommend it, particularly as church groups often include children of different ages with a wide variety of needs.

Arrange a meeting for parents whose children may benefit from the group. By this stage, you will hopefully be able to reassure them that practical arrangements and support have been carefully considered.

Once you know which children are likely to attend, I would recommend meeting parents individually. In the Running a Session section, I mention an enrolment form, which is useful to complete together while discussing the child's individual needs and ensuring that all aspects of care and support are covered.

Once you know how many children you will be supporting and which leaders are available, you can decide how often to run the group. It does not need to be every week.

We originally ran Aslan three times a month, and the three-year plan reflects this. However, we now meet twice a month, mainly because of the level of volunteer commitment required.

I plan rotas three times a year:

• September–December
• January–April
• May–July

I then email the information to both leaders and parents, and I also inform the church office so that rooms can be booked accordingly.

Once these things are in place, you are ready to prepare your first session! Do have a look at the guidance I have written on Running a Session— you should find it helpful. When you are ready to pick a lesson, the Topics page lists everything you need.

There is a lot to think about, so please do not hesitate to contact me via the "Hi" button if you would like further support. I am very happy to answer questions by message or arrange a phone call if that would be helpful.