ASD & Religion, Part 2: Getting To Know The Family
Faith is an important cornerstone of most civilizations. Religion is, for many families, an integral part of their personal and cultural identity, and the foundation of their values and perspectives. The presence of a person with autism in a family can change how they interact with their religious community.
Many places of worship have established disability services, including classrooms, paraprofessionals, special services (the religious kind, not the resources kind), community events, and an established core of families with extensive experience with disabilities who can provide support to each other.
The ASD & Religion blog series is designed to guide faith leaders and places of worship to help make their communities a safe and accessible place for people with autism and the loved ones in their lives. We seek to lower barriers, promote inclusion, and spread awareness.
It is key to the success of members with ASD to get to know them, their families, and their approach. To get to know a family with disabilities in their lives, consider the following:
Ask about sensitivities (light, sound, touch, smell)
Ask families what they hope for by joining your community of faith
Respect individual styles of problem solving; all families have their own challenges, and their own ways of coping
Always ask about a person’s preferred form of communication (speech, sign language, gestures, vocal sounds, AAC devices, or any other form of communication). Practice with it, if you can.
If they have support workers or therapists, ask to set up time with them; a speech therapist, for example, might come to the worship site to give you some training on using an AAC device to communicate with non-vocal learners
Ask (gently) about typical behavior challenges for this person, then plan accordingly
Talk about effective learning strategies you can use to promote their success
If this isn’t the family’s first rodeo, ask about what has or hasn’t worked in previous religious settings; you can avoid some common mistakes and jump straight to what works
As always, get out there and do good.
