A new study highlights the importance of including autistic children and adolescents in Sabbath School, promoting partnerships between church and family. The book "Autism in the Church: the importance of the Partnership of Teachers and Parents in the Inclusion of Children and Adolescents," highlights the need to consider each individual as valuable and necessary for the community, seeking to enhance their cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological skills.

The book, which is the continuation of a previous work , was produced by Jaqueline Kalbermatter, Suzete Águas, Edna Rosa Correia, and Aline SF Venâncio. It was launched at the Plenary Directive Committee of the Adventist Church for the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais in Brazil on Monday, May 20, 2024.

According to Suzete Águas, the leader of Children and Youth Ministries, the objective is to offer practical strategies to promote inclusion and strengthen ties between the church and families of children with autism, with the first volume focused on teachers and the second focused on the families.

“The family of an autistic child/adolescent needs acceptance, empathy, and involvement. It is expected that the proposed strategies will favor the partnership between teachers and parents in inclusion. The inclusion process is not quick, but it is possible to achieve it with perseverance and persistence”, highlights Águas.

Watch a special podcast about the book and the theme:

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese website.