About Us Accessibility and Additional Needs About UsBeliefs Doctrinal Basis of Faith Carey Member's Covenant Our Vision and Values Carey CIO Church handbook and Constitution Leadership & Staff Elders International Team Pastors Youth Worker Ministry Trainees Office Staff Mission Newsletter Accessibility and Additional Needs Safeguarding Safeguarding Adults Policy Safeguarding Children Policy Social Media Policy History Privacy Notice Contact and Directions At Carey Baptist Church we want everyone to be seen, heard, able to belong and join in, including those with additional needs. We have an additional needs team, who are committed to making church activities as accessible as possible to all. The additional needs team seeks to support individuals, as well as starting to put training and other resources in place to increase awareness, and support people more generally. If you would like to speak to one of our additional needs coordinators before attending a church service or one of the Carey groups, please contact Susanna Clarke or Kathy Hunter. Information about Carey Baptist Church (Chapel) Parking A disabled badge can be used to park outside Carey Baptist Church for up to 2 hours on the yellow lines on Carey Street. Parking is also available at the Carey Centre (Anstey Road, RG1 7JR), which is a few minutes (170m) walk from the chapel. Please also see general parking information, and specific information about Sunday Services. Access The church can be entered using the ramp or steps at the front of the building. There are 2 disabled toilets within the Carey chapel building. The disabled toilet in the “mingling area” is wheelchair accessible. Assistance dogs are welcome in the church. Information about The Oasis Parking A disabled badge can be used to park for up to 2 hours outside The Oasis on the yellow lines on Baker Street. Access There is a ramp access at the side of The Oasis. There is a doorbell if this door is not open. There is a disabled toilet which is suitable for those using mobility aids and wheelchairs. Assistance dogs are welcome. Information about the Carey Centre Parking There is a car park at the Carey Centre. There are 2 disabled spaces at the far end of the car park. Access There is a ramp access at the entrance to the Carey Centre at the far end of the car park. At the front entrance to the Carey centre there is 1 step. There is a disabled toilet which is suitable for those using mobility aids. This is trickier with a wheelchair, however wheelchair accessible toilets are available in other buildings if needed. Assistance dogs are welcome. If you have a hearing aid, there is an induction loop in the main hall of the Carey Centre. Please switch your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting to use this. When coming to Carey Baptist Church for a Sunday Service Bollards are used to maintain space directly outside Carey Baptist Church for emergency vehicles. Cars with a disabled badge can be parked for up to 2 hours on the yellow lines on Carey Street. You can be dropped off outside the church. When you arrive in the church, someone from the welcome team will say hello and show you where to go. If you need help with moving around, they can help you and guide you to a seat. In the main church, there are chairs downstairs and pews upstairs. The seating downstairs is flexible, and can easily be rearranged to accommodate wheelchairs, mobility aids and pushchairs. Some of the chairs have arms, if this is helpful for you. There is a welcome desk in the entrance hall before you come into the main church. The welcome team will be able to assist and answer any questions you may have. At the welcome desk, there are a couple of visual timetables. These have been made for individuals. If having this would be helpful to you, please speak to someone at the welcome desk or the additional needs coordinators. There are some quieter areas within the church, where the service can still be heard. If this is helpful for you, please ask the welcome team. If having ear defenders is helpful, you’re welcome to bring some with you. The service can be seen and heard in the welcome area. You are welcome to sit in the welcome area, if you’re uncomfortable being in the main church service for any reason. If it’s helpful for you to write notes, draw, colour, knit, or fiddle with something quietly, do feel free to bring something with you. If you have a hearing aid, there is an induction loop in the main hall. This works best downstairs. Please switch your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting to use this. There is audio translation available in some languages during the services. There are also tablets which can be used for translation. Please ask at the Welcome desk if this would be helpful to you. We have Communion (the Lord’s Supper) as part of our service every few weeks. Communion is for Christians. Gluten free bread is available. The bread and wine (grape juice) are served to people seated. You don’t have to join in – it’s fine to sit and watch; others will be too. We have a social story, which was written for children to help prepare them for coming to a service at Carey. We are working to put this on the website, but for now please contact us if you would like a copy. During the school holidays, sometimes the children and families stay in the church service for an “All-age service”. During all-age services, there is a worksheet / colouring sheet for children, and a visual timetable. Learn more about Sunday Services Information about Children’s Groups Carey Baptist Church has children’s groups which meet on a Sunday morning during the church services, and on Friday evenings during term time. Our children’s groups meet in the chapel, Carey Centre, and The Oasis. Our children’s groups are starting to use visual timetables to let everyone know what is happening when. We have some fidgets and sensory toys available in the groups as needed. If something specific is useful for your child, please speak with the additional needs coordinators or the group leaders. Children are also welcome to bring their own small fidget toys. If having ear defenders is helpful, children are welcome to bring some with them. Most of the groups involve a variety of activities, including some movement, listening, learning and doing. If you would like to speak to our additional needs coordinator or group leaders about your child before they join one of the children’s / youth groups, please contact Susanna Clarke or Kathy Hunter. As part of our youth consent forms, we ask parents to share how we can create a more accessible environment for their child, and what strategies are used in other settings to support their child. This helps children to welcomed and integrated into the children’s and youth groups, and enables helpers to know ways to support them. You can access our youth consent forms online. Learn more about our midweek children’s and youth groups and children and youth on Sundays. The provision of a welcome to people with different needs is a continuous process of learning. If you have any comments or suggestions about how we can improve accessibility, please do speak with our additional needs team coordinators.