School Support & Advocacy Guide

Understanding barriers, identifying support needs and advocating effectively at school.

You've sat through the meetings.

You've left feeling frustrated because you forgot half the things you wanted to say.

You've been asked, "What support do you think would help?" and your mind has gone completely blank.

You've tried to explain your child's needs, only to feel like you're not being heard, or worse, that you're somehow expected to become an overnight expert in education, disability and advocacy.

This guide was created for those moments.

Not by a large publisher.

Not by someone who has only read about school advocacy.

By a parent who has sat in those meetings, written those emails, navigated school refusal, support breakdowns, overwhelming paperwork and the constant worry of whether their child is getting what they need to feel safe, included and able to learn.

Advocacy starts with understanding

When school isn't working, it's easy for conversations to become focused on behaviours, incidents and problems.

But effective advocacy starts somewhere else.

It starts with understanding your child.

Their strengths.
Their interests.
Their barriers.
Their support needs.
And what success actually looks like for them.

This guide helps you organise your thoughts, identify patterns, prepare for meetings and communicate clearly with your child's school.

Because when you're able to clearly explain what your child needs and why, you're in a much stronger position to advocate for meaningful support.

Inside You'll Find

Understanding Your Child

Explore your child's strengths, challenges, wellbeing needs and the barriers that may impact learning, participation and feeling safe at school.

Understanding Support Needs

Identify supports, adjustments and strategies that may help your child access and participate in education more successfully.

Preparing for School Meetings

Organise observations, record examples, prepare questions and walk into meetings feeling more confident and prepared.

Communicating Clearly

Clarify concerns, identify priorities and strengthen communication between home and school.

Advocacy Toolkit

Keep track of contacts, follow-up actions, reasonable adjustments and important advocacy information all in one place.

Designed For

✔ Parents and carers preparing for school meetings

✔ Families navigating support needs, adjustments or inclusion planning

✔ Parents who feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start

✔ Families wanting a clearer picture of what their child needs to thrive

✔ Families navigating disability, neurodivergence and additional support needs at school

This Guide Helps You

✓ Identify barriers instead of focusing solely on behaviour

✓ Recognise your child's strengths and support needs

✓ Organise observations and evidence

✓ Prepare for meetings with confidence

✓ Track discussions, outcomes and next steps

✓ Advocate collaboratively and effectively

Instant Digital Download

Format: PDF

Print at home, complete digitally, or use selected pages as needed.

There is no right way to use this guide.

Use the sections that matter most to your family.

Complete one page or complete them all.

Take it to meetings, use it to organise your thoughts, or simply work through it at your own pace.

A Note From The Creator

If you're here because school feels hard right now, I want you to know you're not alone.

Many parents spend years trying to work out why their child is struggling, what support they need and how to communicate those needs effectively.

This guide won't solve every challenge.

What it can do is help you gather your thoughts, recognise what's getting in the way, and walk into important conversations feeling more prepared and more confident.

Sometimes advocacy starts with something as simple as having the right words on the page.

And sometimes that's enough to change the direction of a conversation.

🦋Created by Kimberley Mallard, autistic parent, ADHD parent, carer and founder of The AuDHD Store.