For decades now, the number of young people diagnosed with some kind of additional needs – whether it’s autism, ADHD, anxiety or any number of other ailments – has been steadily rising. Coming out of the covid lockdowns, schools saw numbers of those requiring extra support rocket even further. In the UK, the government is wrestling with how to reform a system which is approaching collapse, as local councils are nearly bankrupted trying to pay for the adjustments and support such children need. In this episode, we talk with Naomi Fox, the founder of an expanding network of church-based therapy centres for children with additional needs, about this slow-burning crisis and how her charity Growing Hope is trying to help. Is this an area of outreach the church should prioritise, or is it best left to the state or private healthcare providers? How do you balance providing free therapy to anyone who needs it and also offering out the hope ultimately only found in Jesus? And should believers speak out more for vulnerable children, who sometimes seem overlooked in our political discussions?

Find out more about Growing Hope - https://growinghope.org.uk/

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Released on 1 Apr 2026