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Supporting a child with disability at school can feel complex at times.
Parents have told us they want to work collaboratively with their child’s school but aren’t always sure where to start. School meetings, new terminology and decisions about support can feel overwhelming, especially when you are also navigating diagnosis, therapies and everyday family life.
The Navigating School Guide was created to help parents and carers understand how schools support students with disability and how to work in partnership with your child’s school.
What the guide includes
- how schools support students with disability
- how decisions about support are made
- how to prepare for school meetings
- ways to build positive relationships with teachers
- what to do if concerns arise
- where to find additional support and advocacy
You do not need to read everything at once. Many families return to different sections of the guide at different stages of their child’s schooling.
Practical templates and tools
Alongside the guide, we have created a digital toolkit with 15 practical templates and reflection tools to support families before, during and after conversations with their child’s school. The tools help you organise your thoughts, prepare for meetings, keep track of important information and reflect on next steps.
How to use this page
You can use this page in a few different ways, depending on what you need.
If you want to read the full guide
Download the PDF or scroll down to view the guide online.
If you are looking for help with something specific
Use the sections below to jump to topics such as preparing for meetings, understanding your child’s rights, or communicating with your child’s school.
If you are using a printed copy of the guide
This page also includes downloadable tools and helpful links that are referenced throughout the guide.
You do not need to read everything at once. Many families return to different sections as new situations arise.
Digital Toolkit
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Digital Toolkit
Alongside the guide, you will find a digital toolkit with 15 practical templates and tools.
These tools can help you organise information about your child, prepare for meetings, communicate clearly with teachers, and reflect on next steps after conversations with the school.
You do not need to use all of them. Many families begin with one or two tools and return to others as different situations arise.
Sharing information about your child
Teachers benefit from understanding what helps your child learn, communicate and feel comfortable at school.
These tools help you organise key information about your child so it can be shared clearly with the school.
Preparing for meetings and conversations
School meetings can sometimes feel stressful or high stakes. Preparing ahead can help you organise your thoughts and feel more confident.
These tools help you plan what you want to raise, the questions you may want to ask, and the information that may support the discussion.
Communicating with confidence
Conversations with schools work best when communication is clear, respectful and focused on your child’s learning and wellbeing.
These tools provide simple frameworks and prompts to help structure conversations, raise concerns constructively and work with the school to find solutions.
Reflection and follow-up
After meetings or conversations with the school, it can help to pause and reflect on what was discussed and what the next steps might be.
These tools help you capture key points, consider what worked well and plan any follow-up actions.
Helpful Links
Here you will find the various links that are .,….
Acknowledgement
We are deeply grateful to the parents and caregivers in the Belongside Families Community and people with disability who have generously shared their journeys, insights, and practical advice.
We extend our sincere thanks to our funding partner, Stockland CARE Foundation, for their invaluable support which allowed us to develop this resource to support families to navigate their child’s disability, delay or autism diagnosis.