Everything you need to know about disability and inclusion in the church
In this section, you will find a wide range of information, guidance, and tips to help make your church welcoming, accessible and inclusive, explore your calling and vocation, and celebrate the contribution and ministry of disabled people. Scroll down to find out more.
Diocesan Disability Advisers Conference 2023
The first residential conference for Diocesan Disability Advisers (DDAs) took place in November 2023, organised by the Revd Kt Tupling, Oxford DDA, Chair of the DDA Network and Cathy Shilton, Disability Project Manager, with funding from the Church Commissioners.
35 DDAs and nominated delegates met together for worship, teaching and mutual resourcing over a three-day period. The DDA network is made up of (mostly) volunteers who are appointed to their diocese to promote the gifts of disabled people, as well as to highlight the need for better awareness of the things which prevent disabled people from fully belonging to and ministering within the Church.
How can churches make a difference for autistic people in their community?
"Our mission is to make sure people can be with God, with community, in a way that is truly meaningful for them - and when that works, it's a beautiful thing."
Watch our video where Ann Memmott PgC MA Ann Memmott, external adviser to the diocese on autism, shares her thoughts on how churches can make a difference to autistic people in their community.
Vocations through the lens of disability & neurodivergence
Hearts singing God's song: Vocation for disabled and neurodivergent people
Each of us is made in the image of God and each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made. And each of us is called to be part of the mission and ministry of the church, regardless of our embodiment and anything that our society might label as disability or difference.
This event in February 2024 is for disabled or neurodivergent people who would like to begin to explore a vocation to lay or ordained ministry in the Church of England.
Why not take a look at our event in 2023, where we hosted a special vocations event featuring a range of engaging speakers sharing their stories of following their calling from God.
The Revd Tim Goode gave a keynote address entitled 'Healing to a Heresy' - you can watch that here.
This guide is for people with responsibility for children’s work in churches, and includes topics such as making people feel welcome, making people feel included and ideas for teaching and worship.
The Methodist Church, Count Everyone In, Urban Saints, and the Additional Needs Alliance, have collaborate to create a guide to help churches support children, young people and young adults with additional needs, and better enable everyone to belong in every church.
God on wheels: Disability Liberation and Spiritual Leadership
Interview with Rabbi Julia Watts Belser, Professor of Jewish Studies at Georgetown University
Ability Sunday video reflection
The Revd Katie Tupling reflects on Psalm 139, Ability Sunday, and her own faith and disability.
Celebration of different abilities service
Chester Diocese held a service online in 2021, in place of the usual service at the Cathedral, and the Revd Katie Tupling was one of the contributors.
Find out more
Church of England disability webpage
Barrier-Free Belonging: Deaf and disabled people are an essential part of the Church, and the Church of England is committed to ensuring the welcome, inclusion, and participation of all as one of its major goals.
The Archbishops’ Council, which sets the strategic goals for the Church of England, includes disability as one of the key areas in which it wants to improve so that people of all abilities can be full members of the Church.
A blog post by ordinand Sasha Braun, who shares her experience of living and studying at college with an invisible disability.
Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
ODCD works with deaf and hard of hearing people to meet their spiritual, social and general needs, and to help give them a voice and full participation in church and society. We would love to hear from you if you or someone you know would like our support, or if you are interested in helping support the work of ODCD
Count Everyone In
"Our passion is to reach the UK’s 1.5 million adults with learning disabilities with the love of Jesus. Many are marginalised by society and even within the church because of their disability. We aim to inspire and equip God’s church to be welcoming and accessible to all."
Count Everyone In is run by Pete and Christine Winmill, living in West Berkshire and part of the church family at St Nic’s in Newbury.
Torch Trust
Our aims can be summarised as: enabling people with sight loss to discover Christian faith and lead fulfilling Christian lives. Towards this end Torch Trust provides Christian resources and activities for blind and partially sighted people worldwide.
Our services are offered to all who experience sight loss, of all faiths or none, and including those with sight loss who have other disabilities. Among our services, Torch provides Christian literature, including a free lending library and a range of magazines, in various accessible formats. We also promote Christian fellowship through over 60 local Groups across the UK.
Additional Needs Alliance
The ANA is here to help churches to include, support, create places of belonging for, and spiritually grow children, young people and young adults with additional needs or disabilities. Among our Members are many individuals and organisations that offer a range of excellent services and resources to assist churches and other groups working in this area to make a real difference for their community.
Open Ears
Open Ears is a non-denominational Christian charity for people who have various degrees of impaired hearing, mainly (but not exclusively) those who communicate orally, assisted by hearing aids or cochlear implants and lip-reading.
It aims to provide accessible fellowship, Bible teaching, prayer support and pastoral care, to produce informative literature and a quarterly magazine called Hearing Eye. We may also give a proportion of our donated income to specified Christian charities and other organisations involved in supporting people with hearing loss.
Through the Roof
Through the Roof is a Christian disability charity that changes the lives of disabled people around the world, and helps others to change lives too. We want to see everyone valued equally, fully belong, and able to contribute their gifts and skills. We do this in three ways:
Freedom – bringing the gift of a wheelchair or mobility aid and sharing the Gospel with disabled people in developing countries
Friendship – blessing disabled people with Christian friends through being part of our groups, holidays and Retreats
Faith – building our network of Roofbreakers and advocates through training and resources to ensure disabled people can belong and contribute
Down's Syndrome Association - language cards
'Language cards' is a resource which wants to help re-frame the language around Down's Syndrome. The resources can be downloaded as cards and posters, designed by Rebecca Hulbert.
Parents and Children Together
PACT is one of the UK’s leading independent adoption charities, placing children with secure and loving families and supporting them with specialist therapeutic support.
Their award-winning FACTS service includes counselling, Theraplay, creative art therapy and life story work which help children to overcome difficulties in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood which have resulted from early trauma and neglect.
Calibre
Calibre Audio Library is a national charity providing a subscription-free service of unabridged audio books for adults and children with sight problems, dyslexia or other disabilities, who cannot read print. One of their guiding principles has always been to supply books in a format that can be played on ordinary household equipment.
Calibre lend audiobooks to over 14,000 members across the UK and EU and now in countries that have ratified the Marrakesh Treaty.
Livability
Livability is a disability charity that connects people with their communities: they tackle social isolation and the barriers that can cause this in the lives of disabled and vulnerable people. Through a wide range of disability, education, training and community services, Livability promotes inclusion and wellbeing for all.
Together, they work to see people take part, contribute and be valued. Livability puts the elements in place that all add up to connected lives and communities.
Building for the Future
Building for the Future is a Wokingham based, parent led charity providing activities, support and therapy for children with disabilities and/or additional needs and their families. We are based at Our House, our own fully accessible play centre, where families can meet, and all children are celebrated.
BftF was founded by Jane Holmes, and her Christian faith is evident in the ethos found within the charity. Her daughter Kitty is a disability activist and film maker.
Lyrics and Lunch
Lyrics and Lunch - based in Lancaster - is a friendly singing and lunch group which creates community for those living with dementia and their carers. They share fun, food and friendship in a relaxed and comfortable setting.
Their vision is to have churches running Lyrics and Lunch in more and more areas of the UK, serving people living with dementia and their carers by showing genuine care and compassion and gently sharing the love of God.
Everything you need to know about disability and inclusion in the church