We bet that you’re still enjoying the school holidays (or not enjoying the lack of routine and too much time with your kids), but the good/bad news is that the new school year is nearly here!

​This time can bring with it a lot of uncertainty and anxiety, particularly for those who are starting primary school or high school or for those moving to a new school. However, we are here to provide you with a few tips to make this transition easier.

​Conversations to have with the teacher/support team

At the heart of any child’s school experience is the teacher and support team (which, for your child, may include a one-on-one teacher’s assistant). They are going to be with your child every day during the school year, so it’s important that they have a complete understanding of your child and their needs.

​Topics to consider discussing in your meeting with them may include:

• Your child’s exact diagnosis and how it impacts their life and learning (particularly if your child has time off from school for medical appointments)

• Access requirements both in the classroom (e.g. a modified/higher desk, extra time for tasks, using a keyboard for tests rather than handwriting) and outside (e.g. playground access, lifts/ramps, excursions)

• How best to assist with tasks like personal care (and who will provide this support)

• Emergency and evacuation plans, as well as what medical complications may potentially arise as a result of their disability and how to assist (e.g. fatigue management, temperature control)

• How they plan on including your child in physical educational activities

At the end of the day, don’t be afraid to advocate for your child and what they need to have the full school experience!

​Conversations to have with the other parents

This part applies more to primary school, where the classes are smaller and where the younger children may have more questions about your child's disability. Depending on your school’s communication policy, you may have an app to communicate with other parents in your child’s class, or you may be able to provide something to the teacher that they then pass out.

Things that this communication may mention include:

• The name of your child’s disability and how it affects their life/movement

• Answers to questions that their child might have (e.g. why do they use a wheelchair/can’t walk properly, why do they use a breathing machine, why do they have an adult helping them, etc) so that they can have the conversation with their child before school starts

• Your contact details in case they have more questions

Again, this is about providing what you feel comfortable with, but also ensuring that the other parents are comfortable with your child’s disability so that the transition can be smooth for the whole class.

​Conversations with classmates

No matter what age your child is, but particularly for those in high school, they may be asked questions directly about their disability. To help them prepare for this, you can:

• Remind them that they never have to answer a question that they don’t feel comfortable answering. Saying ‘I’m sorry, but that is too personal’ is a perfectly acceptable response to any question.

• Print off a small page that has information about your child’s disability that they can hand out if they are asked questions. This provides the classmate with the information they are after without your child having to repeat it every time they are asked.

• Remind them that they can direct their classmates to online resources like The Loop (or anything that has credible information)

We wish everyone the best for the school year ahead! If you are looking for more resources, head to the Education section of The Loop’s Living Life.

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