About the International Association for Children's Spirituality

The work of the IACS is developed through an executive committee. The chairperson is Marian de Souza (Australia) who works alongside the secretary Ruth Wills (U.K) and treasurer Jackie Watson (U.K.) as well as Tony Eaude (U.K),Kate Adams (U.K.), Ann Trousdale (U.S.A) and Catherine Posey (U.S.A).

Dr Marian de Souza, our chairperson, is active in research and teaching in the field of children's and young people's spirituality as well as having a significant publication output. She has also been the editor of a number of international publications. Her document 'A concept of human spirituality' reflects her own research and thinking in the area of Children's and Young People's Spirituality and provides a starting point for further discussion. She invites members to respond by sending reflections on their own view of spirituality to Ruth Wills, the association secretary.

Dr Jack Priestley of Exeter University is the honorary President of the Association. Jack has contributed to the cause of children's spirituality throughout his career and has been a leading figure in its promotion. He is recognised as such through his influential research and publications. Jack's Introduction to the Notion of the Spiritual illustrates the aims and values of the Association.

Clive Erricker, Jane Erricker and Cathy Ota, of the Children and Worldviews Project, were responsible for establishing the Association but the Association is a developing network involving a number of academics and practitioners in educational centres worldwide, mirroring the development of the International Conferences on Children's Spirituality and that of the International Journal of Children's Spirituality.

The IACS symbol shows two figures with their arms reaching out to greet each other.

Aims

• To promote research and practice in relation to children's spirituality.
• To promote effective communication and the distribution of information between those involved in the development of research and practice which focusses on children's spirituality.
• To promote children's spirituality as an important educational focus within wider contexts.

Development

The Association seeks to:

• Bring together researchers and practitioners who are focusing on this area of educational thinking.
• Promote the development of theory around children's spirituality.
• Encourage, support and connect research and practice.
• Raise awareness of the need for attention to be given to children's voices, experiences and relationships.
• Encourage holistic approaches to children's spirituality and personal development.
• Develop policy and practice across disciplines, professions, organisations and communities.

Membership

Membership of the Association costs £50 per annum, payable in January each year through to December. Through the membership section of its website, the Association aims to provide members with ongoing correspondence and interactive information between conferences which is supplementary to the research published in the journal.

Membership of the Association includes hard copies of the International Journal of Children's Spirituality and electronic access to past issues of the Journal through the membership section of the IACS website.

To find out more and become a member, please visit our membership page.

The IACS website

The Association website is managed by Taylor and Francis and an IACS team, Tony Eaude, Jackie Watson and Ruth Wills. Members are encouraged to submit information and material for the website to Jackie Watson on, for instance:

• Conferences and events.
• Professional posts and research studentships advertised.
• Projects and research in progress.
• Consultancies and publications.
• Practitioner reflections and examples of good practice.