S3E2: Behaviour- and trauma-informed children's ministry, with Lisa Campbell

Melanie Cave sits down with Lisa Campbell, a special educational needs coordinator, to discuss the complexities of managing challenging behaviours in church groups. Lisa shares her expert knowledge on how to create safe, loving, and engaging environments for children attending church, emphasising the importance of trauma-informed care.

We discuss behaviour as a form of communication, exploring the impactful role of church volunteers in establishing spaces where every child feels seen and valued. Lisa introduces useful frameworks such as the 'PACE' approach, which stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy, and offers practical tips to help volunteers better connect with and support children, especially those who may be dealing with trauma.

This episode is packed with practical advice and is entirely jargon-free, making it accessible to everyone involved in children's ministry. Tune in to discover how the church can be a beacon of hope and a place of healing and transformation for children. Don't miss this empowering conversation that blends professional insight with spiritual wisdom, reflecting how Jesus' care for us can be mirrored in our approach to children's ministry.

Links

Lisa's Wonderful Me website: https://wonderfulme.org.uk/

Info on the church SENCo service: https://wonderfulme.org.uk/inclusion-support-service

Free Resources: https://wonderfulme.org.uk/resources (This includes the breathing resource, child profile etc that Lisa mentioned)

Star of Safety: https://wonderfulme.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/STAR-of-safety.pdf

Brené Brown clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

CYM course Lisa wrote: https://cym.thinkific.com/courses/a-trauma-sensitive-approach-to-childrens-youth-and-family-ministry