There is no set policy on this; different congregations handle this differently. Some have a strict cutoff date; others are more flexible. What is best for the individual child and the group should determine your decision. Here are some questions to consider that may affect your decision:

• How late into the program is it? To what degree has your class already bonded and formed a group identity? What can be done to help the latecomer “catch up” with the program?
• Is the latecomer new to the congregation? If the Our Whole Lives class participants already know this person, it may be less disruptive to the program.
• When is the next Our Whole Lives offering? Could the latecomer participate in Our Whole Lives next year instead, or is this the only chance to participate?
• Do you have the capacity to do the required parent orientation for this participant’s parents/guardians?

You may wish to ask the class how they feel about admitting someone new. If they come to a consensus to let the new person join, both the class and the new person may feel more at ease.