From the Margins to the Centre
Today's post is brought to you by Jennie Prentice of Growing Hope, a charity which provides free therapy to children with additional needs in partnership with churches across the UK.
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Jesus loved to meet those living on the outskirts of society. He encouraged us to be like children, he spoke to the woman at the well and he ate with Zaccheus. He saw those that others would have ignored and brought them right into the centre of the story, people just like Lizzie, and her Mum, Denise
Lizzie is a young person who attends one of our Growing Hope clinics in London. During a group occupational therapy session, our therapist noticed that Denise was crying. She was encouraged to go with one of the team to get a cup of tea while her daughter continued with the session.
Lizzie had been on the waiting list for her school’s wrap around care program for 6 months, which her mum was relying on as she was falling behind in work and was at risk of being fired. Lizzie had managed to attend less than a full week of wrap around care before the school had called to say they couldn’t meet her needs and she would no longer be able to attend. Denise was devastated, not only was she at risk of losing her job and being unable to provide for her family, but she was also met with the reality that her daughter likely wasn’t having her needs met at school.
She was a single mother, with limited family and outside community, not sure where to turn to get support not just for her daughter, but for herself too. Our therapist was able to invite her along to our parent training sessions, as well as telling her about Growing Hope provision at church on a Sunday. We were also able to speak to our volunteer team and find Lizzie some short term after school care until her mum was able to find a longer-term solution. Lizzie’s mum had not only found a solution to the wraparound care but had also found a new community.
Unfortunately, stories like Lizzie’s aren’t unique and the financial strain that comes as a consequence of having a child with additional needs can be significant. We often see families on low incomes, who may be in debt because of unemployment or costly private therapy, while others work nights to cover bills and attend daytime appointments.
In 2023, 28% of our families had an annual income between £10,00- £20,000 and 25% less than £10,000*. Across the UK, 61% of families with children with additional needs say that one partner has given up on work, and that they struggle to pay bills, with average extra monthly costs being £1,1228**.
Growing Hope was set up six years ago in response to some of these challenges, and with the vision of:
• Bringing hope to children through our free therapy clinics set up in partnership with churches across the UK.
• Growing hope for families who may have experienced isolation and rejection, by training facilitators to deliver peer support courses, run in their local communities. When Dreams Change is our parent support group which aims to help parents and carers to reflect on their experience of having a child with additional needs. The Siblings Group aims to enable brothers and sisters of children with additional needs to share their experiences and feelings of being a sibling. The sessions included activities such as using puppets, painting, writing and drawing.
• Sharing the hope we have in Jesus, knowing that He is the only one who can break through these situations. We do this not only through enabling families to come to our partnership churches on a Sunday, but through our Accessibility Award and training, equipping churches to become places where everyone can be seen, heard, able to belong and join in.
“When your child has SEN it’s easy to become overly focused on action and intervention but Growing Hope combines these with love and optimism.” – Parent in clinic
The Church is perfectly situated to bridge the gap between current government provision and the support needs of those experiencing isolation, poverty and vulnerability. Not only providing practical ‘intervention’ support through the breath of skills in congregations but also through the love and care that God encourages us to show our neighbours, knowing we can be part of His light in this world.
Who can you see brought in from the margins this week?
Growing Hope provide free therapy for children and young people with additional needs in partnership with local churches across the UK. Contact info@growinghope.org.uk to find out how they can support you, your church and your wider community.
* Figures released in upcoming Growing Hope Annual Report (2022-23)
** Counting-the-Costs-2021.pdf (contact.org.uk)
