I need support advocating for my child…

You might be here because you want to make sure your child is understood, supported, and heard — at school, in the system, and within your family.

Perhaps you’ve struggled to get your child’s needs recognised, or felt unsure how to communicate with teachers, therapists, or relatives who don’t fully understand neurodiversity. Maybe you’re preparing for school meetings, IEPs, or NDIS planning sessions and want confidence that your child’s strengths, needs, and experiences are represented accurately.

You may have tried to explain what’s happening, only to feel dismissed, misunderstood, or met with resistance. You want practical strategies, clear communication resources, and support so that your child is supported in ways that actually work — not just in theory.

Advocating for your child can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Together, we can build the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to share your child’s story effectively, help systems understand their needs, and create supports that make life calmer, clearer, and more manageable for everyone.

My Role

My role is to help you feel confident, informed, and supported when you are advocating for your child. This includes:

  • Supporting you to prepare for school meetings, IEPs, or NDIS planning sessions

  • Translating complex information into clear, practical language

  • Creating communication resources so your child’s strengths, needs, and experiences are understood

  • Supporting discussions with family or professionals who may be less familiar with neurodiversity

  • Developing practical learning supports and strategies

I work with you to build understanding, clarity, and confidence — so you can advocate effectively, reduce stress, and ensure your child’s needs are recognised in ways that actually work.

How I can support you during this stage

Provide practical, strengths-based support to help you advocate effectively for your child.

First

Reviewing Reports & Documentation

Before any meeting or advocacy effort, we gather and understand all the information.

I support families to:

  • Review psychological, medical, educational, and allied health reports

  • Translate complex terminology into clear, actionable language

  • Review existing IEP/PLSPs, Behaviour Support Plans, Attendance Plans, or school adjustments

  • Make plans more inclusive, practical, and tailored to your child’s strengths and needs

  • Clarify goals and priorities for meetings

  • Help you decide what you should share, ask, or negotiate

We start by making sense of what’s in front of you, so you feel grounded and prepared.

Next

Next

Clarifying goals

Core Communication- Reviewing, Preparing, Practicing

Once we understand the documentation and your child’s needs, we focus on communication and confidence.

I support families to:

  • Create communication resources — summaries, visuals, or talking points for teachers, therapists, or family

  • Practice discussions and scenarios to build confidence in meetings

  • Coach parents to communicate assertively, clearly, and calmly

  • Provide neurodiversity-affirming explanations of your child’s profile and needs

This step is about making sure your child’s story is heard in a way that’s practical, strengths-based, and respected.

Creating Communication Resources
Summaries, visuals, or talking points you can share with teachers or therapists.


Supporting discussions with family members who may not yet understand neurodiversity.

Practice & Confidence Building

Preparing you for meetings, questions, or scenarios.

Coaching you to communicate assertively, clearly, and with confidence.

Resource Creation

Practical, neurodiversity-affirming overview to help parents communicate your child’s profile, strengths, challenges, and support needs.

Then

Then

Continued Support.

Advocacy doesn’t end when the meeting finishes. We focus on making it work in real life.

I support families to:

  • Evaluate what strategies and supports are working

  • Adjust plans and recommendations as needed

  • Create follow-up strategies for home, school, or therapy

  • Keep communication clear and consistent across all environments

Follow-Up & Ongoing Strategy

More Information

School, Early Childhood & System Navigation

If adjustments are needed without a formal diagnosis, I can help you navigate “imputed disabilities” under Australian law. Schools must provide reasonable adjustments when a student’s functional needs are evident — even without a formal diagnosis — according to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and Disability Standards for Education 2005.

I support families to:

  • Prepare for conversations and paperwork calmly and confidently

  • Understand the root causes of “school can’t” — sensory overload, unmet needs, trauma, bullying, masking, PDA, academic mismatch, or safety concerns

  • Assist you to advocate for learning pathways that respect your child’s strengths, profile, and wellbeing

Learn more

Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Disability Standards for Education 2005
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)
Personalised Learning & Support Plan information

Understand the root causes of school can’t

Helping parents identify sensory overload, unmet needs, trauma, bullying, masking, PDA, academic mismatch, or lack of safety.

The goal is not just getting a child back to school. The goal is to help them feel safe again, rebuild capacity, and find learning pathways that respect who they are. How I can support you with school can’t.

The School Can't Community Australia