The summer can feel like a restful escape from the demands of the school year, a time of relaxed routines and fewer pressures. Yet, as the calendar pages turn and the familiar back-to-school ads fill our screens, a pit of anxiety can begin to form in the stomachs of both parents and children.

Immediately following ‘the diagnosis’ I informed the school and meetings were held, and magically there were answers and strategies available to help my child learn. Although this started off positively, I soon realized that the strategies the school had were from a list of ‘known fixes’ and they were going to use these, and only these, strategies. The truth is that the education system has been struggling for a while to get the right supports and staff in place for children with varying needs.