ABSTRACT
Work with children and families still forms a familiar part of the portfolio of practical theology, although the concentration has tended to be on how to educate and bring young people up within the Christian tradition. So such issues as confirmation and the admission of unconfirmed church-going youngsters to Holy Communion have been at the forefront of internal church discussions in recent years. All-age worship and how to tailor regular patterns of worship generally to a younger age group have also dominated the field but with a background of an increased understanding of child development and what is appropriate for different age groups. Increasing numbers of adult confirmation candidates have perhaps shifted the debate away from the traditional confirmation classes for early teenagers, although this remains an established aspect of life in many churches.
