“Five Ways to Support Parents of Children with Autism or Neurodivergence at Church,” Liahona, July 2025, United States and Canada Section
Five Ways to Support Parents of Children with Autism or Neurodivergence at Church
Many parents of children who are neurodivergent feel isolated, misunderstood, and unsupported. We can change that.
Illustrations by Michael Dunford
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are called to reflect the Savior’s love in everything we do. As His disciples, we bear one another’s burdens and help lift those in need (see Mosiah 18:8–9). Together, we make up the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:12–18). And in many of our wards and branches, there is a group of parents carrying burdens who are often unseen: parents of children with autism and other neurodivergent conditions.
Autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sensory processing disorders, and other neurodivergent conditions are realities for many families. (“Neurodivergent” relates to any disorder or condition “that impacts the way the brain processes information.”) The challenges that these parents face daily can be overwhelming. For many, tasks that might seem small to others—like attending church services, navigating social interactions, or simply getting through a routine day—can be monumental feats.
Children with autism or other neurodivergent conditions may process the world differently than neurotypical children. The sensory overload from loud noises, the difficulty in understanding social cues, the challenges in regulating emotions—these are just a few of the struggles that these children face.
And as much as parents try to manage all the idiosyncrasies of children with sometimes-invisible special needs, they often feel alone in their journey. As one of these parents, I understand some of the unique challenges. There are so many aspects of life and faith that are challenged when caring for a child with these types of special needs.
While they are deeply committed to loving their children and their faith, parents in these situations can sometimes feel isolated, misunderstood, or unsupported.
As members of Christ’s Church, we can change that.
The Power of Compassion and Practical Support
Whether or not we ourselves have experience dealing with family members who have neurodivergent conditions, we are called to strengthen and uplift each other. This doesn’t mean we have to have all the answers or will be able to fix everything. Sometimes, simply acknowledging the difficulties of these families and offering genuine support are the greatest gifts we can give. We cannot be the body of Christ if we are lacking any parts.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught:
“It was [in Nain] that Jesus performed one of the most tender miracles of His earthly ministry when He commanded a dead young man, the only son of a widowed mother, to rise and live. Jesus sensed not only the intense suffering of that poor mother but also the difficult circumstances of her life, and He was moved by genuine compassion for her.
“Just like … the widow of Nain, many people within our circle of influence are seeking comfort, attention, inclusion, and any help that we can offer them. We all can be instruments in the Lord’s hands and act compassionately toward those in need, just as Jesus did.”
So, how can we help parents of children with autism or other neurodivergent conditions? After asking many of these parents, I’ve listed five ways we can meaningfully and compassionately support them:
1. Be Understanding and Patient in Church Settings
Sunday services can be a challenge for neurodivergent children. The long hours, the unfamiliar setting, the noise, all the people and social demands—it can all be overwhelming.
Being understanding and patient when a child is having a difficult time is one way we can offer support. If a child needs to leave the chapel or be in a different space to calm down, we can withhold judgment. Autism can often be difficult to see or understand. We can offer a smile, a word of encouragement, or a moment of understanding. Give parents the benefit of the doubt that they know their child best and are doing all they can in these overwhelming moments.
2. Offer Practical Help
Sometimes, the simplest act of kindness can make the biggest difference. Offering to help with things like watching children during an activity, providing a safe space for a child to retreat if they become overwhelmed, or helping with rides to church or activities for any of the children in the family can ease the burden on parents. These parents often do not ask for help because they don’t want to be a burden themselves. We can proactively offer our support (and, if they decline, ask what would be helpful instead), knowing that our service can bring them relief. A great place to begin can be to simply ask, “Tell me more about your child. What could I do to make their and your family’s experience at church be more enjoyable?”
As Sister Linda K. Burton, former Relief Society General President, taught: “Sometimes we are tempted to serve in a way that we want to serve and not necessarily in the way that is needed at the moment. … As we serve and ask, ‘Am I doing this for the Savior, or am I doing this for me?’ our service will more likely resemble the ministry of the Savior. The Savior asked, and so should we, ‘What will ye that I shall do unto you?’ [Matthew 20:32].”
3. Create Inclusive Church Environments
Our congregations are places of belonging for all, but for families with children who are neurodivergent, it’s important that we work to create an environment that feels safe and is understanding and inclusive. There is no one-size-fits-all for neurodivergent conditions, and every child will have specific needs.
By counseling with the parents, we can help teachers and leaders understand how to make accommodations during lessons, ensuring classrooms are sensory-friendly. Simply making space for a family to participate in ways that feel comfortable helps create a place where all children can thrive.
Sister Virginia H. Pearce, former First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, once said: “George Eliot, a nineteenth-century English novelist, said, ‘What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?’ (Middlemarch, London: Penguin Books, 1965, p. 789). We can make life less difficult for each other as we make our wards emotionally safer places: by being kind, accepting, tolerant, supportive, and positive. Those of us who teach children and youth have a special responsibility to insist—in respectful and kind ways—that class members use language and behavior which shows respect for others. No one should be belittled or made to feel less than he is within the walls of a Church classroom.”
4. Educate Ourselves and Be More Inclusive in Our Conversations
If we want to be effective in supporting these families, we can take time to learn more about autism and neurodivergence. We don’t need to be experts, but a little understanding goes a long way. We can ask parents questions to learn about each child’s unique needs, discuss adjustments or accommodations that could be made during Church activities or classes, and be open to adjusting our approach.
Part of being more inclusive involves the way we talk about disabilities. In the Church handbook, leaders and members are instructed to “not attempt to explain why someone has a disability or why a family has a child with a disability. They should not suggest that a disability is a punishment from God (see John 9:2–3) or a special privilege.”
5. Offer Emotional and Spiritual Support
Many parents feel like they are walking a lonely road as they raise neurodivergent children. Their faith is tested in ways that others may not fully understand. One of the most meaningful things we can do for them is to offer a listening ear and a compassionate heart. Reach out with love and offer prayers in their behalf. Remind them that they are not alone in their struggles and that Heavenly Father knows and loves them deeply. When we offer emotional and spiritual support, we provide a sense of hope and community to them.
Embodying Christlike Love and Compassion
As we support parents of neurodivergent children, we are following our Savior, Jesus Christ. He showed compassion to those who were often forgotten, marginalized, or misunderstood. He reached out with love to the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the outcast.
In the same way, we can extend that love to our brothers and sisters who are walking this difficult path. We can walk alongside them, offer help, and allow our hearts to be filled with empathy and compassion. In doing so, we not only strengthen these families but also fortify the entire body of Christ.
We are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. Each of us has unique gifts, challenges, and needs. By supporting one another, we fulfill the commandment to love one another as Christ has loved us (see John 13:34). And in that love, we create a community where every child, no matter their ability or circumstance, can feel safe, loved, and valued and every parent can feel supported, seen, and strengthened.
Consider how you can reach out to these families. Whether it’s through offering practical help, extending a kind word, or simply being there in moments of need, every act of kindness matters. We can make our congregations places where all families, no matter their challenges, can feel the love and support of the Savior.
May we be instruments of His love in their lives, now and always.