🏫School Support for Children With ADHD - ADHD Awareness Month🏫

Mary_Scope

Part One - What Is ADHD?
Part Two - What to Do if You Suspect Your Child Has ADHD and the Diagnosis Pathway

Navigating school with a child who has ADHD can feel challenging but you're not alone and schools across the UK are required to support children with additional needs

Talk To The School

Your first and most important step is to communicate with the school. I have created asking my child's school for a meeting & tips for a productive meeting that I hope will be helpful when asking for a meeting.

Schedule a meeting with your child's teacher and the school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). In Wales, this person is called the Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCo).

During the meeting, it is helpful to share what's working at home, your child's strengths, and the challenges they face in the classroom as you can work together to create a support plan.

What Support Can School Offer?

Schools can make many "reasonable adjustments" to help your child learn and thrive. A diagnosis is not always needed to get this kind of support. But support can differ from school to school based on capacity, funding etc.

Examples of helpful adjustments can include…

• Movement breaks
• A change in classroom seating to reduce distractions
• Fidget tools
• Breaking down tasks and giving clear instructions
• Extra time
• Access to a quiet space
  

What If More Support Is Needed?

If your child continues to face challenges despite classroom adjustments, they may require more substantial and legally binding support.

• In England
  You can ask your local authority for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan assessment and An EHCP is a legal document that details the specific support your child needs.
  
• In Wales
  The system is now called Additional Learning Needs (ALN). Children with ALN can get an Individual Development Plan (IDP) which is a flexible plan that outlines their support needs.
  
• In Scotland
  For children with complex needs requiring support from more than one service (like education and health), a co-ordinated support plan (CSP) can be created. This is a legal document that ensures all services work together.
  
• In Northern Ireland
  You can request for a statutory assessment from the Education Authority which can lead to a statement of special educational needs and this is a legal document specifying the help your child must receive.

What has been your experience in getting support for your child with ADHD in school? Or if you have ADHD, what has been your experience in school?