Addressing Limited Special Needs Programming in Churches Nationwide

• Unfortunately, children with special needs are a forgotten population in the majority of houses of worship nationwide.
• Over 66% of parents reported a negative church experience related to their child's disability.
• More than 50% said their child with a disability had been excluded from church activities.
• Families often struggle to attend worship because churches lack the support their children need.
• Parents may withhold essential information about their child's needs because of fear, stigma, or past negative experiences.
• Volunteers consistently reported that more training is needed to support children with less visible disabilities.