Useful resources

On this page, we are collecting and publishing a range of resources to help churches explore issues of disability and accessibility. 

Links for resources that are helpful.

• The Law
• General information
• General advocacy and resource groups

• 10 ways to belong

• Sight loss
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• Dyslexia
• Learning disabilities
• Neuro divergent
• Dementia
• Mental health
• Building and access

The law

• The Equality Act (2010) – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents#pageTitle

General information

• The Church of England – Barrier free belonging
• The Church of England – Advice and guidance for church buildings – Accessibility. This contains lots of invaluable advice and guidance including a downloadable guide ‘Equal Access to Church Buildings’
• The Church Growth Trust – The Equality Act – Making buildings fully accessible

General advocacy and resource groups

• Inclusive Church – www.inclusive-church.org
• Through the roof – www.throughtheroof.org
• Disability and Jesus – www.disabilityandjesus.org.uk
• Mosaic – Movement of supporting Anglicans for an inclusive church – https://mosaic-anglicans.org
• Livability – www.livability.org.uk
• Disabled Living Foundation – www.dlf.org.uk
• Equality and Human Rights Commission – www.equalityhumanrights.com
• Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR) – www.radar.org.uk

10 ways to belong

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.

Sight loss

• Torch Trust for the blind – www.torchtrust.org
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) – www.rnib.org.uk
• The Xavier Society for the Blind – providing books and liturgical material in braille and audio – https://xaviersocietyfortheblind.org

Deaf and hard of hearing

• The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) – https://rnid.org.uk
• Open Ears – Support and events for hard of hearing and Deaf people – https://www.openears.org.uk/
• Liverpool Cathedral holds a Signed Communion once a month.

Dyslexia

• The British Dyslexia Association – Support for those with dyslexia and useful information to help make all aspects of an organisation more accessible.  Including a useful downloadable resource guide to producing dyslexia friendly publications – https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Learning disabilities

• Mencap – the voice of learning disability – www.mencap.org.uk
• Count Everyone In – support, training, and encouragement for churches to include adults with learning disabilities – www.counteveryonein.org.uk
• The Additional Needs Alliance – helping churches to include, support, create places of belonging for, and spiritually grow children, young people and young adults with additional needs or disabilities.  Support, training and information for families and churches to make inclusion a reality. https://additionalneedsalliance.org.uk
• Urban Saints ‘Invited to belong’ – Training to make your youth and childrens ministry welcoming to young people with additional needs – www.energize.uk.net/articles/additional_needs/resources/invited_belong

Neuro divergent

• The National Autistic Society – includes guidance for places of worship – www.autism.org.uk
• Home - ADHD Foundation : ADHD Foundation – a great charity for Neurodivergent and ADHD information.

Dementia

• Memory Bridge – resources to encourage and equip the creation of meaningful relationships with people with dementia. www.memorybridge.org
• The Alzheimer’s Society – united against dementia. www.alzheimers.org.uk
• Dementia Friendly Church – a UK project run by The Prama Foundation helping churches to know how to become dementia friendly. www.dementiafriendlychurch.org.uk

Mental health

• Think Twice – Highlighting issues of mental health and equipping churches to work effectively with those facing mental health issues. https://thinktwiceinfo.org
• The Church of England mental health resources – Including 13 podcast reflections to support and improve mental health. Mental health resources | The Church of England
• The Mental Health Foundation – www.mentalhealth.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness – advice, support  and information for those affected by mental illness. www.rethink.org
• Sanctuary Mental Health – offering a wealth of information and a small group course focussing on mental health and the church. www.sanctuarymentalhealth.org

Building and access

• The Church of England – ‘A place to belong’ – an audit tool for churches – A place to belong Guide.pdf (churchofengland.org)
• Centre for Accessible Environments – www.cae.org.uk
• The Church Buildings Council – www.churchcare.co.uk