A Ministry for Kids with Special Needs

 



 

Services on Sunday at 11:15am for ages 5 - 11

Haven is a safe space for children with special needs to learn about Jesus in a fun environment with trained staff and volunteers. Children enjoy structured and unstructured activities while being guided through specialized growth plans using a common curriculum with our Kids ministry. Haven is currently only offered at our Vandalia Campus.

 
 

Mission

Haven exists to share the love of Christ by assisting individuals needing special accommodations and their families to become full participants and contributors in the body of Christ. We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment that allows all members to worship, minister, and fellowship with one another.

haven special needs kids ministry

Our goal is to let every child know that they are loved by Jesus and each volunteer who is there. Haven is a safe place for any child to come and learn more about Jesus while having fun! We would like to integrate the children into an age-appropriate Kids experience with the right level of assistance if possible.

Specialized Plans

Each child also has a specialized plan that provides what they need to be successful in Haven.

This specialized plan includes:

  1. Personal Information

  2. Strengths

  3. Struggles

  4. Calm Down Plan

  5. Medical Information

  6. Individual’s Communication

  7. Special Assistance

  8. Parental Contact Instructions

Safety

We ensure each volunteer is prepped with the potential behaviors and triggers as well as any medical situations. Each child also has a calm down plan to help in any times of crisis. We also maintain a ratio of 1 adult volunteer per 2 students.

All leaders must attend training specific to Haven. It includes:

  • vision

  • systems, safety, and basics

  • sign language training

  • behavior training

  • walking through a Sunday morning schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We make sure that each volunteer is prepped with the potential behaviors and triggers as well as any medical situations.

    We also make sure that the volunteer to student helper ratio is no less than 2 students per 1 adult.

    Each child also has a calm down plan to help in any times of crisis.

  • There are no costs.

  • Leaders must attend a training that is specific to Haven. It includes: vision; systems, safety, and basics; sign language training; behavior training; and walking through a Sunday morning schedule.

    Every leader also much pass a background check.

  • We use the Orange Curriculum, which is the same curriculum that our KidzLife program uses.

    We do this to ensure that all students are receiving the same information as their same aged peers.

    Children in Haven watch the same video and have the same monthly verse, main focus, and key point.

    Activities are differentiated based on what each week looks like.

  • We keep our time fairly structured to maintain consistency. We do our best to provide activities, toys, and games that each child will like.

    We have all different options for children to do during our "unstructured time" such as: legos, dinosaurs, games, puzzles, barbies, play-doh, coloring, and much much more!

  • Ashlyn Eldridge, our Haven director, meets with each parent after they fill out the in-take form. The purpose of the meeting is to create an individual plan for each child as they enter our doors.

    This plan is then made available for volunteers to look over before the child enters Haven.

 

Reserve your spot in the Haven classroom.

Want to volunteer?

If you have additional questions please contact our Haven Director, Ashlyn Eldridge, at ashlyn@dlwc.org.