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Activities in Arkansas

Activities in Arkansas. Shannon Butler, Social Work Trainee Partners for Inclusive Communities (AR). Role of Religious Organizations. Spiritual formation and worship Social center Support network. Reasons Parents Give for Not Participating in Faith-based Groups. Did not feel welcome

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Activities in Arkansas

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  1. Activities in Arkansas Shannon Butler, Social Work Trainee Partners for Inclusive Communities (AR)

  2. Role of Religious Organizations • Spiritual formation and worship • Social center • Support network

  3. Reasons Parents Give for Not Participating in Faith-based Groups • Did not feel welcome • Not sufficiently supported • Too stressed/tired • Didn’t trust staff to care for children • Did not fit in • Concerned about child’s dietary restrictions

  4. Faith-based Groups Respond to Parents’ Needs • Training for workers • Buddy system - use either adults or peers • Video of child shown during worship service • Class where parents meet next to children with one-way mirror – parents have religious education class combined with a support group; children are able to participate in class until ready to transition to typical class

  5. Jonathan’s Child classroom

  6. St. Paul United Methodist Church Fall Funky Festival Searcy, Arkansas

  7. Faith-based Groups Respond to Parents’ Needs • Special events – Funky Fall Festival • Respite programs - recruit and train respite providers - reciprocal respite among families - respite night, children stay at house of worship - parent candlelight dinner • Organized parent support groups • Ministry steering committee - primarily consisting of parents

  8. UCEDD Responds to Parents’ Needs • Regional training for religious education workers on strategies for supporting positive behaviors – attended by 100-250 persons in each setting Evaluation comment, “I could never get my husband to attend any training the school or state offered. He trusts his church enough to come this time.”

  9. UCEDD Responds to Parents’ Needs • Hosted meetings of parents, leaders of local congregations, and state denominational leaders – represented religious education, worship leaders, mission coordinators, early childhood programs • Information exchange • identifying successful practices and highlighting congregational efforts • coordinating training events

  10. Contact Information Shannon Butler, Trainee sebutler@ualr.edu (until May 2007) David Deere, Director • Partners for Inclusive Communities, Little Rock, AR 501-682-9900 deereglend@uams.edu

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