Special Needs

We Would Love to Serve You and Your Family!

At Mariners, it’s our privilege and passion to serve children, teens, and adults with a wide variety of special needs, including Autism, Down syndrome, and ADHD. We understand that having a child with special needs is life-changing. Please know that it’s our heart for every individual to be supported and given the chance to engage with their peers and feel a sense of belonging.

If you would like to learn more about our ministry, we’d love to get to know you better! Whether you are a special needs family or someone interested in serving as a buddy for our ministry, please take a few minutes to fill out the corresponding form below.

KIDS

WEEKEND SERVICES

Our program is designed so that children with special needs can participate in all Kids environments (birth – 5th grade) during weekend services. Our goal is for every child to be supported by:

  • Participating in their age-appropriate classroom with a small group leader who is aware of and equipped for their needs
  • Being paired with a Special Needs Ministry buddy who attends their age-appropriate classroom with them if needed
  • Spending time in the Special Needs Ministry sensory room for engagement and fun as needed

We would be honored to accommodate your child with special needs. We require all new and returning families to fill out the intake form. Once complete, our team will reach out to schedule an intake meeting. At this meeting, we will discuss next steps from there.

YOUTH

We offer various supports in Junior High and High School to engage each individual at their level of functioning, in order to ensure appropriate levels of engagement and value both for weekend services and mid-week Life Groups. Options include:

  • Participating in their age-appropriate environment with a small group leader who is aware of and equipped for their needs
  • Being paired with a Special Needs Ministry buddy who attends their age-appropriate environment with them
  • A Special Needs service on Saturdays at 5:30p
  • “Love Without Limits” monthly social event on Saturday mornings.

We would be honored to accommodate your student with special needs. We require all new and returning families to fill out the intake form. Once complete, our team will reach out to schedule an intake meeting. At this meeting, we will discuss next steps from there.

ADULTS

Exceptional Socials is a Tuesday morning program for adults with special needs. Our goal is to enrich the lives of those impacted by special needs by fostering community through recreational and leisure activities including music, movement, art, and themed and seasonal activities. Not only do we know how to have fun, but we love to foster relationships and a place to belong. *Participants should plan to bring a caregiver with them if they are not attending this event with a day program.

A Special Needs service is also held on Saturdays at 5:30p in the Upper Room of the Worship Center. Please fill out the intake form below before your first visit.

To register your adult or to sign up as a volunteer, use the links below

PARENTS

We understand that having a child with special needs isn’t just a challenge—it’s life-changing. That’s why we host a monthly Fire-Pit Night for Dads. Our Dads meet on the last Friday night of the month. To register use the events links below.

Parents’ Day Out

We’re looking forward to Parents’ Day Out  once a month at our Irvine congregation on a Saturday morning. Parents of children with special needs can drop off ALL their kids for three full hours of childcare. At this special event, we’ll have bounce houses, games, crafts, music, and more. Parents’ Night Out is for kids ages birth through 5th grade.

Advance registration is required! To register your kids or sign up as a volunteer, use the event links below.

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