Worship centers are responsible for creating a welcoming environment where everyone is valued, regardless of their abilities. This includes people with autism spectrum disorder, who face unique challenges in public and religious activities. Promoting inclusivity is a matter of compassion and offering a space where they feel comfortable and cared for.
Discover these 10 ideas to help you transform your worship center into an inclusive space for individuals with autism.
1. Offer Seating Options
Sitting in a chair for long periods can be an uncomfortable experience for people with autism. They usually need more sensory input than others, so they often fidget to remain comfortable. Providing multiple seating options can help them sit still and comfortably.
For instance, some prefer sitting on the floor. Your worship center might consider installing cushions in certain areas. Sensory seat wedges are helpful additions that provide stimulation, encourage focus, and reduce wiggling and fidgeting. Beanbags and exercise balls are also great additions because they allow for deep pressure, making a person feel grounded.
2. Welcome Service and Therapy Dogs
Creating an environment where people with autism can thrive means welcoming their furry friends, too. Autism service and therapy dogs are common companions that help decrease anxiety during specific scenarios, such as church visits and emotional meltdowns. A trained canine can detect signs of agitation and anxiety and respond by leaning against or lying across an individual’s lap.
This also applies to other members who have special needs. Their dogs have been trained to carry out tasks and provide assistance when needed. Allowing them inside the worship center can help promote peace of mind.
3. Educate Fellow Members About Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Awareness in your community is essential to forming an inclusive and supportive environment for people with autism. As an advocate and ally, you can start by educating yourself about autism and understanding unique challenges. Advocate for their rights, inclusion and equal opportunities. Use the worship center to engage in conversations, share information and encourage members to be involved in awareness efforts.
4. Add a Sensory Room
Sometimes, a public setting can be uncomfortable for individuals with autism, especially children. Loud sounds, textures and bright lights can trigger anxiety among many kids with autism. You can make them comfortable during worship by providing a sensory room for them to settle and watch the service on a screen. This space is also ideal for other people with special needs, like those with learning and intellectual disabilities.
Consider these factors when creating a sensory room at your worship center:
- Lighting: Avoid extreme lighting, direct sunlight and darkness in the room. Consider adding diffusers to fluorescent lights, dimmable overhead bulbs and table lamps for softer lighting.
- Audio: Invest in a quality sound system that doesn’t produce distortions and crackles.
- Seating: Consider adding armchairs, rocking chairs, exercise balls and child-friendly seats.
- Screen: Add a TV to transform your room into a screening area where people can participate in the worship comfortably.
- Service plan: Adults who experience sensory overload can benefit from knowing what to expect in advance. You can print or upload the worship service online so they know when to expect loud music and other possible triggers.
- Objects: Toys and items like weighted blankets can provide sensory stimulation and calming effects for kids on the spectrum. They can use these items during a meltdown.
5. Create a Plan for Possible Meltdown or Escape
An autistic meltdown is a cry of distress due to sensory overwhelm. It could look like a temper tantrum and prompt a person with autism spectrum disorder to hide in an enclosed area or run away. These instances are unavoidable, so it’s best to prepare a safe place or walking area where a child with autism can feel safe during a meltdown. You can also add an “I need a break” card for individuals to show staff when they start feeling overwhelmed.
6. Allow People With Autism to Eat
A possible trigger for children and teenagers with autism is a break in routine, which can involve items, play and places. They prefer sameness and repetition because they provide stability and decrease cognitive load. If they eat during a specific time — and that schedule coincides with your service — allow them to have snacks. Dehydrated fruits and chewable jewelry are great choices that help them keep calm.
7. Encourage “Brain Breaks”
Focusing for a long time can result in a buildup of energy, which can cause anxiety. Scheduling short brain breaks allows individuals with autism to release mental overload and recover after listening to people. You can also encourage
breathing exercises to calm an overexcited nervous system, allowing individuals to relax and rest for a while.
8. Teach Other Ways of Passing Peace
Teenagers with autism spectrum disorder can display a lack of or extreme affection in public. If certain people in your congregation love giving overt displays of physical affection, you can encourage other ways of expressing peace to one another. For instance, pastors could say “Please greet one another in a way that’s comfortable for you,” which is a calmer and more pleasant experience for everyone.
9. Use Visuals and Metaphors
When giving a sermon, provide tangible examples, pictures and symbols so individuals with autism can better understand the teaching. Use metaphors to relate abstract ideas to reality. Jesus used parables to illustrate moral lessons, but you can explore other creative ways to make things more digestible.
10. Start a Support Group for Parents With Children With Autism
Many parents feel nobody understands the challenges and pressures of caring for a child with autism. By establishing a support group, you can create a space where they can share information and accept spiritual advice based on their experiences.
Another advantage of establishing a small community for parents is that they can create long-lasting relationships with other families. Having someone who understands what they’re going through can make them feel happier and more confident.
Embrace Inclusivity
Your worship center can be a sanctuary for people with autism when you address their needs, educate church members, and create a supportive space for them and their families. With these tips and an open heart, everyone in your community can help individuals with autism worship and join religious activities comfortably.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In