This week's podcast is all about kids with additional needs.

Naomi Graham answers a question on how a child with limited communication can connect with God, Rachel talks about going to church if that is difficult for a family with a kid with additional needs, Mark Arnold shares three key truths for parents who have kids with additional needs, and Mark also talks about how we can be supporting and encouraging the siblings of kids with additional needs.

Some helpful links:
- Additional needs resources for parents/carers - https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/topics/additional-needs/
- Additional needs resources for churches https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/topics/additional-needs-and-church/
- If you are using any of the Parenting for Faith course materials, do let us know here https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/register-my-course/ so we can send you a whole pack of extra resources including a guide on how to make sure the sessions and content are suitable for families of children with additional needs.

Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. If you’ve found this podcast or other resources helpful, could you donate to support this vital work?

You or your church can become a friend of Parenting for Faith by making a monthly gift of £2 a month or more. Alternatively, you can make a one-off donation. Find out more at https://www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/

We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

The Parenting for Faith Podcast with Rachel Turner

S2 Ep9: Additional Needs

In this episode, Rachel will be exploring how we can encourage our children in a way that doesn't trap them into a box, and explores why throwing your children in with children of different ages may be spiritually significant. As always, Rachel answers your questions and gives you a question to get an interesting conversation started with your kids.

Visit the <a href="http://parentingforfaith.org/">Parenting for Faith website</a> to discover our <a href="https://parentingforfaith.org/course" title="The Parenting for Faith course">free course</a>.

Mentioned in this podcast:

<a href="http://parentingforfaith.org/confidence">Parenting Children for a Life of Confidence</a>

<a href="https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/you_are_special_93526.html">You are Special</a> by Max Lucado (Eden)

Article on <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200809/why-we-should-stop-segregating-children-age-part-i-the-value-play-in-the-z">Why We Should Stop Segregating Children by Age</a>

#1 Avoiding labels, why we don't just 'skip' life, and mixing age groups

‘It’s Raining Cats And Dogs’	-	Podcast trailer script – 20-03-19

Hello… and welcome to ‘It’s Raining Cat’s And Dogs’….

If you are a family member of one of the 2.5 million children with special or addition needs in the UK, and sometimes feel isolated and alone, then this podcast is for you…

If you support a child with additional needs, maybe in school, in a children’s club or group, and want tips and ideas that can help, then this podcast is for you…

If you want to hear about what’s happening in the news that affects children with additional needs and their families across the country, then this podcast is absolutely... for... you…

I’m Mark Arnold, the host of ‘It’s Raining Cats And Dogs’.  I champion additional needs for Urban Saints, a national children’s and youth organisation, and blog as The Additional Needs Blogfather,  but I’m also Dad to James, who is Autistic, has learning difficulties and epilepsy, so this is personal for me too… this podcast is also for me…

‘It’s Raining Cats And Dogs’ is a magazine format podcast with a range of content that will inspire, inform, and create community as we journey together. It is fast paced and fun at times, while being more serious at others, depending on the content. There’s nothing out there that does this, so it’s time for these 2.5 million families to have their voices heard.

We want to hear parents share their stories; like the amazing mum of Autistic twins who blogs about the up’s and down’s of their lives and inspires thousands, but who also gets horribly trolled and abused online by people who just don’t get it.

Or the hilarious story of the teenager with additional needs who caused absolute scenes by racing into a branch of a high street bank, past all the stunned staff, and into the offices behind, causing security mayhem all because six-months before his parents had taken him to a meeting there where the staff had given him a promotional torch and he wanted another one!

We want to help families find out what’s new in the additional needs world, what apps, books, therapies, technology or research might be helpful for them?  What are the big stories that affect them too, like how might Brexit cause problems with the supply of vital, life saving medicines?

But we want to have a laugh as well, sharing stories about the epic fails of organisations who monumentally mess up in trying to be inclusive…  We want to hear from families like the one who went to an advertised ‘relaxed and accessible’ film viewing at a cinema, to find it was up two flights of stairs!

Why ‘It’s Raining Cats And Dogs’? Well look out for the first episode to find out!

Image rights Desi Northup © Desno Publishing Co.

It's Raining Cats And Dogs - Preview

We kick off this week's episode by sharing stories of surfing the waves in summer. So many things are different over the summer - how can we make the most of those opportunities?

Our question is about how to get creative with 'chat & catch' so that we're not just getting stuck in a rut of using this tool in the same way.

We hear from Simon Parry, founder of Allstars Kids Club, about HOME. This album was written for kids and families dealing with grief and loss. We hear how it came about and the different ways it might help you or people you know.

#39 Summer stories, changing up chat and catch and grief

Parenting for Faith exists to equip and encourage parents to raise God-connected children and teens. In the podcast, the Parenting for Faith team offer ideas and tools, answer questions, review books, host interviews and panel discussions. 

Discover our free course for churches and more at https://parentingforfaith.org

Parenting for Faith is part of BRF, a registered charity.

S2 Ep9: Additional Needs

Parenting for Faith

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