Working with your child's school

Summary

• Children with attention, regulation and concentration difficulties may have challenges at school.
• If you have concerns about how your child is going at school, talk to their teacher.
• Try to work closely with their school to ensure your child is well supported.  

When your child is having difficulty at school, it is important to work closely with their teacher and other school staff to ensure your child receives the support they need to help with their learning. 

Here are some ways to build a positive and productive relationship with teachers and other school staff and make it easier to advocate for your child. Advocate means to speak-up, support or take action to help. 

Communicating with school

• Get to know your child’s teacher early in the school year.
• Ask about the best way to contact their teacher and when they are available to talk.
• Touch base with your child’s teacher regularly.
• Use email or a communication book to share updates, concerns and progress.
• Prepare for meetings by writing down concerns, successes and any strategies that have worked at home.
• Approach discussions with a problem-solving mindset and be open to suggestions from the school. 

Talk about your child’s strengths

• Every child has strengths and it’s important to share these with your child’s teacher.
• Knowing what your child is good at and enjoys doing helps your child’s teacher to use strengths-based learning strategies. This means starting with what your child is good at and then teaching new skills.
• When teachers see and react positively to your child’s strengths, it helps build their confidence and motivation. 

Share what works (and what doesn’t)

• Use what you know about your child, and their teacher’s ideas about what your child needs, to make a plan for your child.
• Be clear about what doesn’t work for your child. For example, too many instructions at once, or sitting still for a long time.
• Work together to find practical solutions that could work in the classroom. 

Work with the school to develop an Individual Education or Learning Plan

• An Individual Education Plan is a personalised plan that outlines support, adjustments, and goals to help your child succeed. Some schools may call this plan a different name.
• Ask the teacher to arrange a meeting with all relevant people involved in supporting your child's educational needs.
• Be clear about what your goals are for your child’s academic achievement.
• Be involved by helping your child work towards their goals at home. 

Know the school’s approach to managing behaviour

• Your school will have a Behaviour Management Plan which explains how the school manages behaviour for all students. It usually includes rewards and consequences.
• It may be helpful to ask the teacher or deputy principal how they support children with attention, regulation or concentration challenges.
• Work with your child’s teacher to develop consistent strategies for school and home that will help your child participate at school. 

Work with the school to develop an Individual Behaviour Management Plan (IBMP)

• An IBMP is designed specifically for your child, to address any behaviours that may be affecting them at school. The plan focuses on supporting positive behaviour to help your child participate at school.
• It sets clear expectations for both you and your child about how the school will support them to participate fully at school. It is important that you, your child and teacher all contribute to the plan.
• Ask for a meeting with the school to discuss what your child needs to support their behaviour.
• Be clear about what your goals are for your child’s behaviour at school. Discuss these with your child’s teacher.

Understand restorative practice

• Many schools use restorative practice to help children learn from mistakes, rather than just punishing them for negative behaviour.
• Restorative practice is a way to respond to challenging behaviour. It acknowledges that many factors affect the way a child behaves.
• The focus of restorative practice is on working together with you and your child to solve problems, repair harm, and build positive relationships.
• Talk to your child’s teacher about how restorative practice is used at school.
• Encourage your child to talk about their feelings and learn from both positive and negative experiences. Help them to work out different ways to manage their behaviour. For example, 'Let’s talk about what happened when you ran out of the classroom today. How were you feeling? What could you do next time so that Mrs Davies doesn't get worried about you leaving?'

Ask for support

• You don’t have to do this alone. Connecting with other parents of children with ADHD or advocacy groups can provide you with valuable support and advice.
• Ask the school for any resources they have that can support your child’s learning.
• Talk to health professionals who specialise in ADHD. 

Explore these links for other ideas about how to work with your child’s teacher and advocate for your child at school.

Being an advocate for children | Raising Children Network 

Working with teachers and schools | Raising Children Network 

Individual learning plans: kids and teens | Raising Children Network 

IEP Fact Sheet | ADHD WA 

Building a positive relationship with your child's school | vic.gov.au 

Support groups - ADHD Australia