Malta · Children with autism & their families
A new Christian ministry in Malta for children with autism and their families.
We are preparing individual support shaped around each child’s interests, meaningful goals and everyday life skills, alongside opportunities for prayer and connection.
Clive
Co-founder
Cecilia
Co-founder
A Christian ministry led by Clive and Cecilia
Every child is different. Our intended approach is to start from who your child is — what they enjoy, how they communicate and what matters to your family — rather than from a fixed programme. We can’t promise particular outcomes, but we can promise to listen.
Begin with what engages and motivates each child — a favourite topic, game or activity becomes the starting point.
Listen to parents and involve the child in ways that suit their communication, so the goals we work towards are meaningful to them.
Create opportunities to practise useful skills at an appropriate pace, with plenty of room for breaks and repetition.
Our initial focus
We are exploring individual support during the hours after school. Clive will lead our initial sessions, taking time to understand each child’s interests and discuss meaningful goals with their family.
Practical arrangements — where, when, how long and any costs — will be talked through and agreed with each family before anything begins.
Explore individual supportVenue, session length, ages, fees, availability and supervision arrangements. We will share these openly once they are settled.
We share a Christian faith and a background in education, and a hope that families of autistic children in Malta will find a place of welcome, practical help and prayer.
Co-founder · Will lead initial sessions in Malta
An Inclusive Education Practitioner working with young autistic children, Clive brings an understanding of functional communication — helping children express their needs, preferences and choices in ways that work for them.
Co-founder · Currently working in South Africa
A neurodivergent educator with hands-on experience supporting non-speaking autistic learners at home and at school, Cecilia’s approach is grounded in empathy, consistency and respect.
Our faith
Our faith is centred on Jesus. We are a charismatic ministry: we believe the Holy Spirit is at work in everyday life, and we love to respond with praise, worship and heartfelt prayer.
Prayer and worship are always optional and discussed with families beforehand. We follow your child’s lead — their willingness to take part, and their sensory preferences, come first.
Pray with usPrayer can include
Nobody needs to sing or speak to belong.
Small, calm gatherings we hope to offer in future. No dates or venues are set yet — tell us if you’d be interested and we’ll keep you informed.
Planned
A calm, repetitive prayer that walks through the life of Jesus, beginning with one decade, with visual prompts and time for breaks.
Express interest →Planned
An opportunity for parents and carers to share, pray and find encouragement together.
Express interest →Planned
Simple praise and worship songs, a short Bible story, optional creative activities and time to connect with other families.
Express interest →Plain answers about what to expect, and what we haven’t decided yet.
Information for parentsFind out how gifts could help once giving arrangements are in place.
Support the ministry →Occasional emails when there is real news — nothing more.
About us
We are establishing Pio & Cecilia Ministries with a shared Christian faith and a commitment to supporting children with autism and their families. Our experience in education shapes our desire to listen carefully, respect each child’s communication and build trusting relationships with families.
Co-founder
Clive is an Inclusive Education Practitioner at Inspire, where he works with autistic children aged 3–5. His experience has developed his understanding of behaviours of concern and the importance of functional communication—helping children express their needs, preferences and choices in ways that work for them.
He brings warmth, compassion and a thoughtful, long-term approach to supporting children and families. Clive will personally lead the ministry’s initial individual support sessions, shaped around each child’s interests and goals.
Outside work, he enjoys learning Sesotho, following football and travelling.
Co-founder
Cecilia is a neurodivergent educator currently working in South Africa. She brings hands-on experience supporting non-speaking autistic learners in both home and school settings.
Her approach is grounded in empathy, consistency and respect for each child’s individual ways of communicating and learning. She values taking time to understand each learner and creating opportunities for them to participate in ways that suit them.
Cecilia is committed to continuing her professional development and learning alongside others in autism education. Outside her work, she enjoys developing her skills as a football player.
To share the love of Jesus with children with autism and their families in Malta through support shaped around each child’s interests and goals, everyday life skills, friendship and accessible Christian prayer and worship.
Would you like to talk with us about your child?
Discuss your child’s needsOur Support
Our initial focus is one-to-one support during the hours after school, personally delivered by Clive. These are plans in preparation — practical details will be agreed with each family before any session begins.
We are a faith-based ministry, not a clinical service. We don’t diagnose, provide therapy or offer a validated treatment programme, and we can’t promise developmental outcomes. Families remain free to seek professional support alongside us.
These are illustrations only, not a fixed curriculum. What we focus on will depend on your child and the goals we agree together.
For example, choosing between two activities or snacks, using words, pictures, gestures or a device.
For example, working through a short sequence of steps with visual support.
For example, helping to prepare a simple snack or tidy away after a game.
Our Support
Alongside individual support, we hope to offer small, calm gatherings for families. None of these are running yet, and no dates or venues have been set. Expressing interest helps us understand what families would find helpful.
Planned
A small family gathering beginning with just one decade of the Rosary. Its gentle rhythm and repetition help children reflect on the life of Jesus and grow in prayer at their own pace. Visual prompts help everyone follow along, and there is time for breaks whenever they’re needed.
Children can join in, listen, move or simply be present — whatever suits them.
Express interestPlanned
An opportunity for parents and carers to share, pray and find encouragement with others who understand.
Sharing and praying aloud are always optional.
Express interestPlanned
Simple, sensory-friendly praise and worship songs, a short Bible story, optional creative activities and opportunities for families to connect.
Designed to be brief and predictable, with a clear outline shared in advance.
Express interestExpressing interest is not a booking. When a gathering is confirmed, we’ll share the date, place, what to expect and how to take part.
For Parents & Carers
You know your child best. Everything starts with a conversation, and nothing begins until you’re comfortable with the arrangements. Where something hasn’t been decided yet, we say so.
An unhurried chat with you, the parent or carer. We’ll listen to what your child enjoys, how they communicate and what you hope for, and explain honestly what we can and can’t offer. There’s no obligation to go further.
We’ll ask how your child prefers to communicate — speech, signs, pictures, a device, gestures or other ways — and what helps them feel comfortable: sounds, light, movement, breaks and routines.
If your family would like prayer to be part of sessions, we’ll agree together what that looks like. If not, that’s completely fine — your child is equally welcome.
Clive will personally lead the initial individual support sessions in Malta. Cecilia is a co-founder currently working in South Africa; she is not delivering local sessions at this stage.
Together. We’ll listen to you, involve your child in ways that suit their communication, and suggest goals we can responsibly support. We’ll review them with you as we go.
One-to-one time built around your child’s interests, with opportunities to practise everyday skills — such as making choices or following a familiar routine — at a comfortable pace. The content depends on your child and the goals we agree.
This hasn’t been decided yet. We will confirm the location with you before any session begins.
Supervision arrangements have not been set yet. They will be discussed and agreed with you before your child takes part.
These are still being worked out. We’ll be clear about any costs and how long sessions last before you decide whether to go ahead.
Yes. Prayer and worship are only included if you’d like them, and in a way agreed beforehand. Your child’s willingness and comfort always come first.
We’ll learn from you how your child communicates and what helps them feel settled, and follow that. All forms of communication are valued — not speaking is never the same as having nothing to say.
You can contact us at any time through our contact page. A formal concerns and safeguarding procedure is being prepared and will be published on our safeguarding page before sessions begin.
Ready for a first conversation, or just have a question?
Discuss your child’s needsGet Involved
As the ministry grows, we hope to welcome volunteers who share our care for autistic children and their families. Here are some of the ways people may be able to help in future.
Making visual prompts, preparing accessible materials and setting up calm spaces.
Welcoming families warmly and helping gatherings run smoothly.
Helping with communication, organisation and keeping things running behind the scenes.
Supporting planned family gatherings once they are confirmed.
Children’s safety comes first. Our volunteer roles, recruitment process, safeguarding checks and preparation are still being established. No one will begin work involving children until these are in place and completed.
We’ll note your interest and contact you once roles and our safeguarding process are ready. Registering interest doesn’t commit you to anything.
Express interest in volunteeringGet Involved
We are a Christian ministry. Our faith is centred on Jesus, and we are open to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. We’d be grateful for your prayers for children with autism, their families and this new ministry.
Pray them aloud, quietly, with signs or simply by listening. Short is good.
Jesus, you love us just as we are.
Be with us today — at home, at school and everywhere we go.
Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Thank you, Jesus, for this day.
We praise you for your love,
and we give you all our hearts.
Amen.
Holy Spirit, guide our children, our families and our ministry. Fill us with your peace and joy. Amen.
Clive and Cecilia would be glad to pray for you. Requests are private and never displayed publicly.
Please share only what you’re comfortable with. Prayer requests can contain sensitive information about health or family life. A secure way of receiving requests has not been set up yet — this form is a preview.
Get Involved
Thank you for thinking of us. We’re not able to accept gifts yet — giving information will be available here once our arrangements are confirmed.
These are potential uses we’re considering, not commitments or targets.
Online giving is inactive. We will publish how to give, who receives gifts and any relevant registration details once these are confirmed.
Meanwhile, you can pray with us or sign up for updates on our homepage.
Contact
Whether you’d like to discuss your child’s needs, express interest in a gathering or simply ask a question, we’d love to hear from you. A few details are all we need to begin.
Policy · Draft
Draft — requires completion. This page is an outline, not a finished or legally reviewed policy. It must be completed and checked by the ministry, with appropriate advice, before the site is published.
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