Returning to school for children with disability, autism or other additional needs
Children might spend time away from school when schools close because of natural disasters or other traumatic events, including floods, bushfires or pandemics. Children might also spend time away from school if they have a serious illness or chronic condition, or for other personal reasons.
Returning to school is important because in-person learning and social interactions are good for children’s and teenagers’ overall development and social and emotional wellbeing.
Returning to familiar school routines and reconnecting with friends and the school community can be particularly important following disruptions caused by events like bushfires, floods or pandemics.
All children and teenagers need support to return to school after remote learning. Autistic children and teenagers and children and teenagers with disability or other additional needs might need extra support to prepare for the return to school, manage their emotions and settle back into school.
Working with the school before your child returns after remote learning
Before autistic children and teenagers and children and teenagers with disability or other additional needs return to school, it’s best to work with the school.
This checklist can help you and the school plan a smooth transition for your child:
- Develop a return-to-school plan with the school. For example, your child could visit the school a couple of times before they return. This might help if there are changes like a different travel route, unfamiliar bus drivers or teachers, new classes or school buildings, or a new school location.
- Arrange a meeting with school staff to discuss your child’s learning and progress while they’ve been learning remotely. At this meeting, you can look at how your child’s individual learning plan can be adjusted to include any learning your child needs to revise or catch up on.
- Check that the school can still meet your child’s inclusion needs or accommodate new needs. For example, check that your child can still get around the school, take part in classes and school activities, enjoy extracurricular activities and so on.
- Check whether the school has any special arrangements – for example, infection control measures, wellbeing support, or changes to things like extracurricular activities timetables or uniform requirements.
- Develop a student health support plan if your child has been at home because of illness or a chronic condition. For example, the plan might cover things like a private space to take medicine or attend to medical needs at school, plus staff training in your child’s medical needs.
- Talk with the school about safe spaces your child can go to if they’re feeling overwhelmed. This can be useful at recess and lunch times in the first couple of weeks.
You can discuss your child’s return-to-school needs as part of your regular communication with your child’s classroom teacher, home-room teacher, year coordinator, learning support coordinator or student welfare coordinator.
Practical preparations for returning to school after remote learning
Practical preparations can help the return to school go smoothly for your child. And a carefully planned transition can also help your child manage anxiety about returning to school.
Here are practical things to do:
- Get your child back into a bedtime and sleep routine. You could reintroduce the routine a week or so before your child returns to school. A visual schedule might help your child get used to the routine again.
- Practise school skills. For example, your child could practise putting on and taking off their school uniform, eating out of a lunch box and walking a new route to school.
- Visit the school after hours or do a virtual visit to familiarise your child with the school again. If there has been damage to school buildings, you can show this to your child too.
- Show your child a video of their classroom and ask what they think about the layout and sensory environment. This can help the teacher make changes or give your child options, like a sensory corner.
If your child is returning to school after a school closure caused by a natural disaster, it might also help to do a practice run to school. You can work out the best route around any road closures and flood or bushfire damage.
Your child’s feelings about returning to school after remote learning
It’s natural for children and teenagers to have mixed feelings about returning to school after remote learning. For example, they might be excited about learning in a classroom again and seeing their teachers and friends. They might also feel uncertain, worried or anxious about catching up on learning, fitting back into friendship groups and coping with a school routine.
In this situation, there are ideas and strategies that help all children and teenagers:
- Give your child plenty of love and support at home.
- Talk and actively listen.
- Reassure your child that their feelings are OK.
- Be an enthusiastic role model.
- Give your child choices about aspects of the return to school.
- Encourage your child to try mindfulness activities or relaxation exercises.
If your autistic child or child with disability or other additional needs has been away from school because of illness, here are ideas:
- Talk with your child about how much information they want to share with peers about why they were away. For example, do they want to share this information with all their classmates when they go back, tell friends individually, or keep it private?
- Develop a response for your child to use if they’re asked why they were away. Your child’s health care team or school wellbeing team can help with this. Your child could practise this response with you at home.
- Reassure your child that there are plans to manage their needs – for example, where to go to take medicine, or what to do if they feel sick or overwhelmed.
If your child is feeling very anxious about returning to school, speak to school staff. There are plenty of things the school can do to help:
- Arrange a gradual return to school for your child, starting with short days and building up to full ones.
- Pair your child with a buddy.
- Organise for a teacher or aide to welcome your child at the gate.
- Ensure there’s a place your child can go if they’re feeling overwhelmed.
Children and teenagers react in various ways to traumatic events like bushfires and floods. Some children react straight away, whereas others react weeks or months after the event. You can read more about supporting children and teenagers in the days and weeks after a traumatic event and supporting autistic children and teenagers in the days and weeks after a traumatic event.
When your child is back at school
Your child will probably have some ups and downs when they go back to school. It might take a while for your child to get used to the school routine again. The main thing is for your child to feel positive about being back at school. The rest will come with time and support.
In this situation, there are things that help all children and teenagers:
- Encourage your child to have plenty of healthy food, sleep and physical activity.
- Stick to regular family routines and activities.
- Talk and listen together.
- Encourage your child to practise self-compassion.
- Give your child praise and rewards.
For children and teenagers with disability, autistic children and teenagers, and children and teenagers with other additional needs, you can also try these ideas:
- Give your child time and space before after-school activities. Your child might need even longer at the end of the week when they’re very tired.
- Give your child extra time to process and respond to instructions.
- Use a communication book or app or exchange regular emails with your child’s teacher or aide as often as you need to. This can highlight things that are going well. It can also help you spot problems and solve them quickly.
If your child is struggling with returning to school
Children and teenagers with disability, autistic children and teenagers, and children and teenagers with other additional needs might show signs that they’re struggling with the return to school. These signs might include changes in behaviour and emotions, like:
- sleeping more
- eating less
- seeming less interested in doing things
- withdrawing from you
- not actively participating in conversations
- being more clingy, grumpy or angry than usual
- doing more repetitive, self-soothing or self-injurious behaviour
- not being able to do things they could do before, like using the toilet
- being more focused on special interests
- refusing to go to school.
If you notice these signs or you just feel worried about how your child is coping, it’s important to get help as soon as possible.
As a first step, talk with your child’s teacher. The teacher can let you know whether they’ve noticed anything unusual in your child’s behaviour or emotions at school. They might also have ideas for supporting your child or put you in touch with the school counsellor. You can also talk with your GP.
Children aged 5 years and over can call Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, and teenagers can also call Youth Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or eheadspace on 1800 650 890.