# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration.

Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity; this used to be called attention deficit disorder (ADD), though the term in no longer used officially.

ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for children and young people as well as for their parents and carers. But the right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to a child's learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

What are the most common symptoms of ADHD?

A child with ADHD may be:

easily distracted, finding it difficult to start or finish tasks

often unable to concentrate

often restless or fidgety

very talkative, often interrupting or blurting things out

impulsive, acting before considering consequences, prone to taking risks

easily angry or frustrated, struggling to deal with emotions

finding making or maintaining friendships difficult

disorganised, for instance often losing things or being late

lacking awareness of time

Every child or young person with ADHD is individual and they may not display all of these behaviours. And many of these traits and behaviours are typical in younger children, or can follow a traumatic experience - they don't necessarily mean your child has ADHD.

Age and gender can also affect how someone with ADHD behaves. This can make it harder to spot signs of ADHD, particularly in girls, who are more likely to be undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed with other conditions.

Typically the symptoms of ADHD develop in early childhood and they may become particularly noticeable at times of significant change, such as starting or changing school.

What to do if you think your child might have ADHD

If your child frequently experiences some of these symptoms and it's affecting their day-to-day life, discuss your concerns with your child's GP. Before doing this, talk to your child's teacher and the school special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about what they have noticed.

The GP may want to refer your child for assessment, as ADHD can only be diagnosed by a specialist such as a child and adolescent psychiatrist or paediatrician.

Sometimes parents are reluctant to pursue assessment. They may be worried about 'labelling' their child or about stigma, or they may prefer to watch and wait. These feelings are normal. But parents and young people who do seek diagnosis can find it helps them access the right support; understand and manage challenges; and identify individual strengths.

We have more information about getting support from the GP, CAMHS or school in our guide.

ADHD diagnosis, support and treatment

ADHD assessment is usually done through the specialist Children and Young People's Mental Health Services, commonly referred to as CAMHS.

Diagnosis is most commonly made in childhood, and in the majority of cases, symptoms affecting daily life continue into adulthood.

There is no single, definitive test for ADHD. Specialists will base clinical diagnosis on a combination of observations of your child; discussions and questionnaires (with you and your child); and information from your child's school.

They will consider how long the symptoms have been present; their impact on your child's daily life; and whether they might be due to another condition. The NHS states that approximately 60-80% of children with ADHD have at least one other condition (such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety or behaviour problems), and your child may be given more than one diagnosis.

Support and treatment options

You and your child should be offered support and advice to help manage ADHD in their day-to-day life.

ADHD can also be treated with medication and/or therapies. These should be discussed with you when your child is diagnosed, and are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on ADHD.

ADHD can be treated with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For more information about therapy, see our parent guide to counselling and therapy.

There are a number of types of medication. These are not a cure for ADHD, and many children do not take them, but they can help manage some of the symptoms. Medication must be prescribed and overseen by a specialist.

You may also be offered ADHD -focussed parent training. This does not mean your parenting is somehow wrong. It is designed to provide support and specific strategies and skills to help you and your child thrive.

Jack is still perennially late, disorganised and impulsive; but he's also energetic, original and creative. The medication is helping him make the most of all of that.

What you can do to support your child with ADHD

Be explicit and consistent about unacceptable behaviour, such as violence. Set appropriate consequences and follow them through, but try to stay calm in the moment to avoid escalation. Dealing with challenging behaviour can be very hard, and our parent guide has helpful advice.

Plan the day so your child knows what to expect. Maintaining regular sleep patterns, physical activity and mealtimes can help your child. Some people find dietary change and/or certain supplements helpful. But the NHS states that there is no clinical evidence for this, and medical advice should be sought first. Our young person's guide has helpful advice on sleep problems.

The impact of ADHD on your child's mental health

Any child or young person can struggle with their mental health and wellbeing, whether or not they have ADHD. This might be caused by things like family change, bullying, exam stress or a traumatic event.

But having ADHD may also mean your child has extra challenges - such as social difficulties, struggling to manage their emotions or getting into trouble at school - that leave them more vulnerable to low self-esteem, anxiety or depression.

Children and young people with ADHD frequently have other developmental or mental health conditions and it is important to ensure they have the appropriate support for these.

As a parent there is a lot you can do to support your child with their wellbeing and mental health:

encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling with you. Our starting a conversation guide has ideas for keeping communication open

if you feel your child may have a mental health problem or another condition alongside ADHD, discuss your concerns with their GP or ADHD specialist.

Working with school if your child has ADHD

ADHD is a special education need (SEN), and it may be referred to as a specific learning difference (SpLD). Your child is entitled to appropriate support to help them thrive socially and educationally. This could include potential adjustments in certain situations, such as extra time or rest breaks for exams, movement breaks in lessons, written instructions for tasks and a seating plan that minimises distractions.

Discuss the diagnosis and needs with the school's SENCO, taking a list of your concerns and background information to the meeting.

Your child may be entitled to an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) which details the support they need and how it will be provided. (The National Autistic Society has helpful information about EHC plans.)

Good communication between you and school can be really helpful in ensuring your child thrives in education and meets their potential. Our parent guide to support has more advice on talking to school or college.

ADHD in teenagers and beyond

If your child is a teenager or young person, their needs and the support you give may well be different from when they were younger. They may like to read our young person's guide to ADHD and mental health. But there are still many ways you can help.

Looking after your own wellbeing

Parenting a child with ADHD can sometimes be isolating, upsetting or exhausting. Sometimes parents feel judged or blamed by others (unjustifiably as parenting does not cause ADHD). It is entirely understandable if you are finding things difficult.

It's important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust. We have advice on looking after yourself as well as your child.

Our son's challenging behaviour with ADHD had an enormous impact on the whole family, as we and his brothers bore the brunt of his anger.

Where to get further support

If you would to speak to a professional adviser or find out more about how you can support your child, these organisations can help.
While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

This page was reviewed in March 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with ADHD. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ADHD Support For Your Child | Parents Advice Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child is struggling to manage their ADHD, read our tips on what you can do to support them, how to get a diagnosis and where to find help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Information for health and children's centres teams in Suffolk, which run from our Family Hubs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Bringing up a child with ADHD requires different to traditional parenting skills. Normal rule-making and household routines can become almost impossible. It can become frustrating to cope with some of the behaviours which result from your child's ADHD, but there are ways to make life more manageable and to make living with ADHD more stress-free.

The ADHD Centre runs a programme for parents working through practical and relevant frameworks to better understand your child's symptoms, supporting you with implementing accommodations for your child's ADHD, and teaching you the tools and strategies to build your child's awareness and self-regulation.

This 8-step course combines learnings from the latest neuroscience studies, fun and dynamic exercises and worksheets, and an inside knowledge on what's it like to live with and support someone with ADHD. It is tailored to your needs as a parent so that you can become agents of change for your child's development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ADHD Parent Support Services | The ADHD Centre

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Access comprehensive ADHD behavior management services for parents. Book an appointment to support your child today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Signs Your Child Has Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pathological Demand Avoidance of PDA is becoming more widely recognized as a distinct profile of autism. British psychologist Elizabeth Newson came up with this term which describes an anxiety-driven need to be in control and avoid other people's demands and expectations. Research done at the University of Newcastle in November 2016 found that Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) was also associated with PDA, in fact even stronger than anxiety.

Demand avoidance in the PDA profile looks different from what others on the autism spectrum experience because of its extreme nature and obsessive quality. This extreme avoidance extends to the most basic demands of everyday living, not just the avoidance of unpleasant, difficult, specific anxiety-provoking or unappealing tasks. Someone with a PDA profile will also have tremendous difficulty complying with their own self-imposed expectations and with doing things that they really want to do. (PDA Society, UK)

PDA is seen in both genders equally. There are no prevalence rates available at this time. It is not caused by a how a person was raised or their social circumstances; it's not the fault of the parents or the individual with the condition.

PDA is not recognized in the DSM-V so not all professionals agree with this profile. We have not heard much about PDA in North America yet, although the term is starting to become more known. The interest in PDA as a distinct profile is growing and more research is being done. Because PDA is a fairly recent profile, it's often misdiagnosed as other conditions that look similar on the surface such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).

Features of Pathological Demand Avoidance (from the PDA Society, UK)

1)Resisting and avoiding the ordinary demands of life

This might include getting up, joining a family activity or getting dressed to name but a few. This may be the case even when the person wants to do what has been suggested, such as watching a film that they have been looking forward to. When initial avoidance strategies, such as those described below fail; the situation can quickly escalate and some individuals may resort to more extreme measures to avoid the demand such as shouting, swearing, hitting and damaging property. Others may, shut down, withdraw or run away. This is a meltdown and should be viewed as a panic attack.

2)Using social strategies as part of the avoidance

Distracting - "I like your earrings, where did you get them from", giving excuses - "I can't walk because my legs are broken", delaying - "I'll do it in ten minutes", withdrawing into fantasy - "I'm a cat and cat's don't wear clothes" and drowning out your request with noise "I can't hear you because I'm singing - la, de, la, de, la .....".

3)Appearing sociable on the surface

People with PDA may have a more socially acceptable use of eye contact. Their conversational skills may appear better than others on the autism spectrum, but this is still often lacking depth in their understanding. For instance, not seeing a difference between themselves and an authority figure, having difficulty in adjusting their own behaviour in response to the needs of others and not always understanding how, or why their behaviour can affect others at an emotional level and thus have a negative impact on their relationships.

4)Excessive mood swings and impulsivity

e.g. They can have great difficulty in regulating their own emotions and controlling their reactions to situations and people. The individual can rapidly switch from happy and engaging - to angry or sad in seconds, often with no visible build up or warning to others. This may be in response to pressure of demands and perceived expectations.

5)Being comfortable in role play and pretense, sometimes to an extreme extent and the lines between reality and pretense can become blurred

e.g. Often adopting the persona of a figure of authority in role play scenarios to such an extent that they believe that they are that person. This role may often require them to oversee and direct others and as such, remain in control of the play e.g. taking on the role of a teacher when playing with peers. Role play can be used as a strategy to avoid demands made by others such as "I can't pick that up because I'm a tractor and tractors don't have hands" or role playing the compliant child in school to reduce demands by flying under the radar. Withdrawing into fantasy can also be a form of self-protection, a place where they can go to when real life becomes too difficult to manage and to cope with.

6)'Obsessive' behaviour that is often social in nature

People with PDA may often become obsessive about other people, either real or fictional, from either a love or hate perspective, which can make relationships very tricky. Newson et al, noted that the demand avoidant behaviour itself also has an obsessive quality.

What does extreme demand avoidance look like in PDA?

Triggers - demands or situations that will cause anxiety such as social situations or a change in routine but this will also extend to all everyday demands, expectations and suggestions, including activities that the individual would usually enjoy or want to do.

How someone with a PDA profile avoids a demand - usually uses social strategies to begin with such as making excuses, using distraction, incapacitating themselves, drowning out the request with constant interruptions or adopting the persona of another person or character. If these strategies don't work, more extreme strategies can be used such as shouting, swearing, aggression or fleeing.

Strategies to Support - provide a flexible and adaptable approach that is constantly in sync with the person's anxiety levels. The Low Arousal Approach encompasses these ideas for recognizing when arousal mechanisms are becoming engaged, when and how to reduce demands, and how to support a person who is highly anxious or stressed. Reasons for demand avoidance such as sensory overload, emotional overload, communication difficulties, fear of uncertainty can be addressed using autism strategies but they must be adapted so that they are delivered in a non-direct manner. Again, low arousal approaches will help here.

Most of the information for this post was taken from the PDA Society website in the UK. It is the most comprehensive website on this topic so please visit their page for more information. If you think your child may have PDA, the Society has a section with a questionnaire and webinar. There are also supports for teachers, professionals, adults with PDA, and families along with an extensive resource section.

About the author:
Maureen Bennie

Maureen Bennie created the Autism Awareness Centre in 2003 to address what she saw as a gap in support and advocacy for those struggling with autism and autism spectrum disorders. For Maureen, education brings positive change to the lives of those affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders.

Click to Read Maureen's Full Biography

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
An Introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) - Autism Awareness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pathological Demand Avoidance of PDA is becoming more widely recognized as a distinct profile of autism. British psychologist Elizabeth Newson came up with this term which describes an anxiety-driven need to be in control and avoid other people's demands and expectations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Autism & PDA PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is widely understood to be a profile on the autism spectrum, though we are still at an early stage in our understanding and PDA research is in its infancy. Whilst autism is a widely recognised term, our understanding of the full

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resistance to demands is a characteristic experienced by and observed in some autistic people. It is sometimes labelled as Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), but there is debate about the evidence for and usefulness of this label.

# data[].attributes.body
About Irlen Syndrome - Irlen UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Irlen Syndrome is a specific type of perceptual problem that affects the way the brain processes visual information. It is not an optical problem. For those with Irlen Syndrome, the brain is unable to process full spectral light. This can result in: It is exacerbated by environmental factors such as lighting, brightness, glare, high contrast, [...]Read More…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
STAY IN TOUCH Irlen Syndrome Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization © Copyright 2020 Irlen Syndrome Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Visual Stress has been known by many other names. Scotopic sensitivity syndrome, Meares- syndrome, Irlen syndrome, Visual Dyslexia, word crowding and Asfedia. Visual Stress is commonly defined as a perceptual processing disorder. This suggests that Visual Stress is not an optical problem, but a problem relating to perceptual processing. This suggests that the visual cortex of brain is unable to properly process visual information from the eyes because of sensitivity to certain wavelengths of light.
I have heard that Visual Stress doesn't exist. Why is that?
Visual Stress remains an area of contention. Whilst it was first described in the early 1980s, there is a lack of evidence that the condition actually exists. A number of research studies* have investigated Visual Stress and have concluded that there is a lack of evidence that Visual Stress exists. They have also not found proof that treatments, such as Irlen lenses, are effective in helping people with reading difficulties.

Despite this research, anecdotal comments from many people with light sensitivity is that they experience symptoms consistent with Visual Stress and that using coloured overlays or glasses is effective in overcoming their difficulties.

* https://ranzco.edu/news/no-scientific-evidence-that-irlen-syndrome-exists-say-ophthalmologists/#:~:text=The%20Royal%20Australian%20and%20New,help%20those%20with%20reading%20difficulties.

* http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2019000300194
So is Visual Stress a learning or a reading difficulty like dyslexia?
Visual stress is not a learning or reading difficulty. However it can affect the way people 'see' words on the page and it can cause physical symptoms that make it difficult to read for long periods or affect a person's ability to focus and concentrate on what they are reading.
What are the symptoms of Visual Stress?
The symptoms of Visual Stress are said to include poor concentration; difficulties with reading, writing and comprehension; glare sensitivity and poor depth perception. This can not only affect reading, but can result in a poor judge of distance and cause driving difficulties. In addition, light sensitivity can lead to eye strain may result from reading and people may develop headaches or migraines from certain visual patterns. This can result in a slow reading speed, low comprehension and visual fatigue.

Visual Stress is said to be exacerbated by environmental factors such as lighting, brightness, glare, high contrast, patterns and colours.
Who is at risk of getting Visual Stress and how can it be treated?
People of all ages report having Visual Stress. It also tends to run in families. Whilst there is not a treatment to 'cure' Visual Stress, with help, it can be overcome.
What can be done to help?
As this problem is perceptual, rather than visual, standard prescription glasses cannot help. Many people who complain of visual stress have found a specialist coloured reading ruler or overlay placed over the page can reduce glare. Likewise, when using a PC, programmes / digital downloads such as nOverlay, Tinted Windows, can easily filter the screen colour.

Lenses help to filtrate the light-waves entering the brain, and therefore it does not have to work as hard, so it calms. This can alleviate many of the symptoms, if not all, in some cases. Filters help to make reading easier, faster, for longer whilst feeling less tired and understanding more of what they have read.

It is important to note that different people prefer different colours. An Irlen diagnostician will be able to help to find the right colour. They will also be able to recommend providers of coloured glasses or contact lenses. They should be reassessed on a yearly basis or when the symptoms seem to be returning, especially during adolescence when the brain is constantly changing, and this can continue into adulthood.
What else can help?

Allow students to sit near a window for natural light.

Provide short breaks during lessons which heavily focus on reading and writing.

Allowing students to work on coloured paper.

Changing the background of Presentations to a more calming colour, such as pale blue or green.

When reading in class, tell them slightly in advance the passage/section they will be reading- this allows them to prepare.

Encouragement and positive feedback, offer to demonstrate corrections.

Ask if they require a bookstand or slides from Presentations to be printed (they can put it at an angle to benefit them).

Allow them to make notes to help them recall information/instructions, or make visible to the student.

Who can test to see if I have Visual Stress?
Until recently it was possible for Visual Stress to be screened, assessed and diagnosed as part of a dyslexia assessment. This process involved trialling different coloured overlays (or combination of overlays) and seeing it the child (or adult) is reports a preference when reading.

However, since 2018, dyslexia assessors have been advised not to screen or assess for any visual need. This is because SpLD assessors are not qualified optometrists. There were instances where they were incorrectly diagnosing Visual Stress or other visual difficulties without appropriate knowledge and training.

If you are concerned that you may have Visual Stress you firstly should have a thorough test with an optometrist. This will rule out any possible underlying conditions that may have caused problems similar to visual stress.

The second stage is a referral is made to an Irlen diagnostician who will assess Visual Stress using spectral filters. If diagnosed, they will be able to recommend the specific colour to help the individual.
- More information about the dyslexia and visual issues can be found at - For information on the common traits of dyslexia go to: https://www.dyslexiauk.co.uk/the-common-traits-of-dyslexia/ https://dyslexiauk.co.uk/dyslexia-blog/f/i-see-%E2%80%93-dyslexia-and-vision
- To discuss your concerns with a dyslexia assessor, please click here https://dyslexiauk.co.uk/contact-us

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Visual Stress / Irlens Syndrome | Dyslexia UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is Visual Stress? Visual Stress has been known by many other names. Scotopic sensitivity syndrome, Meares- syndrome, Irlen syndrome, Visual Dyslexia, word crowding and Asfedia. Visual Stress is commonly defined as a perceptual processing disorder. This suggests that Visual Stress is not an optical problem, but a problem relating to perceptual processing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Families living in Suffolk with a child aged 12 or under can reach out to Families Together Suffolk for support. Services are all free of charge and they ensure confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach.

# data[].attributes.subject
Families living in Suffolk with a child aged 12 or under can reach out to Families Together Suffolk for support. Services are all free of charge and they ensure confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach.

# data[].attributes.body
Families Together help parents / carers who:

Need support with their mental health

Feel lonely or isolated in their community

Find it hard to cope

Struggle with the emotional and physical demands of having a baby, young children or multiple children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Families living in Suffolk with a child aged 12 or under can reach out to Families Together Suffolk for support. Our services are all free of charge and we ensure confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach.

We can help parents who:

Need support with their mental health

Feel lonely or isolated in their community

Find it hard to cope

Struggle with the emotional and physical demands of having a baby, young children or multiple children.

We receive referrals from a diverse range of sources, including the NHS, GPs, social care professionals, childcare practitioners, mental health services, educators, relatives and families. This broad network enables us to reach families in various circumstances and provide the assistance they need.

How do I make a referral?

Self Referrals
If you are a family and feel you would like some extra support you can make contact with us by any of the following:
- Get in touch to discuss your situation over the phone - 01379 678552
- Write us an email or use the contact form - info@familiestogethersuffolk.org.uk
- Or complete our referral form.

Professional Referrals
If you are working with a family who you think could benefit from the support of Families Together Suffolk you should:
- Complete our referral form with as much detail as possible. (Please note from May 2024 we can only accept referrals via our Microsoft Form).
- Or you can get in touch with any further questions - amanda@familiestogethersuffolk.org.uk

What happens next?
When we have received your referral form:
- A Family Support Coordinator will contact the family to schedule an initial visit to discuss the family's needs and the support available to them. We aim to make this contact within two weeks of the referral being submitted.
- A collaborative support plan with clear targets is devised and agreed on by all parties and a decision on the best course of action is decided.
- If we then initiate the process of matching the family with a volunteer, we will offer weekly or fortnightly support to the family.
- Support provided will be monitored and reviewed at 12- week intervals.

Referral Link

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We receive referrals from a diverse range of sources, including the NHS, GPs, social care professionals, childcare practitioners, mental health services, educators, relatives and families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advice to help children and young people who feel anxious about going to school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr Tina Rae is a Child Psychologist and award winning author specialising in the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

She has recently produced a set of resources aimed at parents of children who struggle with the transition from home to school. This was a huge issue for many parents before 2020 but this year has gone further to exacerbate an already difficult situation. Many individuals came back to school very positively to start with but unfortunately for some, this positive start is beginning to waver.

The following ideas describe how parents can prepare for this transition with practical tips that include the importance of self care. I am delighted to be able to share these resources with you. Please also scroll down for details of other resources and Dr Tina's YouTube channel. You can catch up with her on Twitter as well: @DrTinarae.

Sunday evening:

Soothe- do some calming activities and make the last things at night soothing - gentle music, story for younger ones, soft lighting, talk about 3 good things before bed.

Understand- make sure you let them know that you do understand their feelings and you do not negate of dismiss them - you understand how hard it is but it will get better in time! Develop your script for this if appropriate.

Neutralise- record any worries in a worry book and then talk through each one helping the child to see a solution/where they are catastrophising and show them the evidence against any irrational thoughts/thinking patterns.

Decide- on a plan of action and go through it step by step - this is what we will do tomorrow. Work out the schedule and ensure that everything is ready - book, bag, PE kit etc and laid out for the next morning. Make the plan visual if needed.

Attend- be vigilant to the child's emotional state and give more time if they need it so that they feel nurtured and safe. Give reassurance and a transitional object for younger children.

Yourself- look after yourself and make sure that you are regulated and feel calm yourself. Engage in some relaxation and take time out after the bedtime routine for you to build up your own resources and remember that it is ok to feel worried but don't let it overwhelm you.

Monday Morning:

Manage- manage yourself FIRST! This is not selfish. This is not selfish. You cannot support a child or young person who is unregulated and stressed if you are too. Take time to sort your own needs and then manage your emotional state by using your usual stress management tools e.g. grounding/time alone/Mindfulness etc.

Organise- get everything ready ( by getting up earlier ) so the bags are in the hallway, the breakfast is set up and you own things for work/whatever you need are all organised. This means that you can attend to the child and do so in a regulated manner.

Neutralise- spend some time with your child talking through any worries and again helping them to see a solution/where they are catastrophising and show them the evidence against any irrational thoughts/thinking patterns.

Decide- this is the plan - make it clear to them that you have a plan to get to school, how you will get here, what music you might listen to in the car/stories you might tell to each other on the bus/as you walk/who else might be with you etc so that it all becomes clear and they feel prepared for each step.

Accept- accept the child's emotional state and give them reassurance that you love and care for them so that they feel nurtured and safe. Give reassurance and a transitional object for younger children. It is okay to feel anxious, but we all need to manage it and I will help you. I am with you
and will stay with you while you need me.

Yourself- again look after yourself and make sure that you are regulated and feel calm yourself. Engage in some relaxation and remember that it is ok to feel worried but don't let it overwhelm you. keep using the script - if I stay calm, I will make him/her feel safe.

Find your calm plan:

Focus on what you can control to reduce your anxiety
Identify 3 positives at the end of each day and revisit them at the start of the next day
Neutralise those negative thoughts by reframing them into more effective ones and remember a thought is not necessarily true
Develop a self-care plan and stick to it! Write it down and follow it each day and remember self-care is not selfish and you cannot pour from an
empty vessel
Yourself first - Attend to your own needs for calm so that you can share it with your child and remember you cannot regulate others if you are unregulated.
Observe your breathing and take deep breaths when it becomes shallow or tight and Put your hand on your heart and just PAUSE.
Understand that it is normal to feel anxious when we are in uncertain times and try to remain hopeful knowing that this too shall pass.
Regulate regularly and use Grounding, Best breathing, Mindfulness and exercise to soothe your nervous system - practice really does make it better!
CO-regulate with your child and show them how you do it - MIRROR.
ME - copy my breathing - 'Let's visualise together, lets draw out the worries or dance/jog them out together!'
Accept yourself in the moment and have some self-compassion - you cannot always get it right and it's okay to take some time out to vent.
Look and learn from what happens and the mistakes you and others make and be solution focused identifying what DID work well or better and problem solving instead of being problem focused.
Moderate and manage your self-care plan and adapt and be flexible in the moment knowing that finding your calm daily will only benefit you
and yours!

Share your calm plan:

Share and focus on the things your child can control - hand washing, keeping the rules around safety, not catastrophising but celebrating being safely with friends and learning again!
Help them to identify 3 positives at the end of each day and make up a good news book and revisit it at the start of the next day.
Acknowlege and do not dismiss their worries or concerns - listen and be there for them - 'I am here for you and I am going to make sure we are safe together' and support them to reframe those negative thoughts and remember a thought is not necessarily true.
Regulate together and show them how to use key tools from Mindfulness, Grounding, Deep breathing and Visualisation - let's do it together now!
Exercise regularly and help them to see the benefits of those feel good chemicals on their nervous system.
Yourself first - take the time you need to find your calm so you can share it effectively and let you child know that you need to do this too!
Observe your child's breathing and prompt them to take deep breaths when it becomes shallow or tight - use 5 finger breathing.
Understand that it is normal for us all to feel anxious and normalise this for them reinforcing that things will get better and we must not lose hope.
Regulate regularly at key points in the day - before and after school and during lessons/breaks etc and help them to keep a self-regulation diary/log -
see what works best and use it again!
Comfort your child when they need it - cuddles and kind words always help.
Accept your child in the moment and encourage them to have some selfcompassion - give the message it's ok to be scared or angry and to vent but not ok to bottle it all up.
Look for the positives and identify what DID work well or better every day and keep a list to remind them that happy moments stay with us and can be revisited.
Manage and develop their well being plan and support them to engage in happy relaxing activities on a daily basis - factor in the fun whilst regulating the nervous system!

Dr Tina also has a YouTube channel with a wealth of topics included in her Webinars such as emotional literacy and self-esteem. Click subscribe on her channel to stay to to date.

This webinar recognises the need for self care in the context of the new uncertainty of Covid-19. Defining the links between adult and child dysregulation and recognising the potential for vicarious trauma is also a key focus. There is also an opportunity to consider how to set up personal and whole school systems to effectively manage stress and anxiety as part of a holistic self care plan.

Finally, Dr Tina has also worked closely with Nurture UK ( https://www.nurtureuk.org/) to and produced The Wellbeing Toolkit. This is a training programme to build knowledge and skills in supporting the emotional health and mental wellbeing of children and young people. The key aims are to allow professionals and staff who work with children and young people to:
- Learn relevant therapeutic approaches and skills;
- Feel confident that they have developed the appropriate skills and knowledge base to identify at-risk students;
- Help prevent the escalation of any perceived difficulties and problems; and
- Fulfill Inclusion (Section 4) of the National Curriculum (2014) - by enhancing the emotional wellbeing of students and providing particular support for those experiencing social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, lessons can be planned to ensure that there are no barriers to every pupil achieving.

Find out more by clicking here: https://www.nurtureuk.org/news/wellbeing-toolkit-0

Thanks for reading,

Lynn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Back To School Blues: Supporting school anxiety and reluctant returners with resources by Dr Tina Rae

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dr Tina Rae is a Child Psychologist and award winning author specialising in the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. She has recently produced a set of resources aimed at parents of

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Supporting your family's emotional wellbeing

The right support helps you give your child or teenager the life skills they need!

Choose which course is right for you:

Triple P Online - for parents of young children under 12 years

Teen Triple P Online - for parents of pre-teens and teens, approx. 10-16 years

Boost your child's or teenager's development

Tailor strategies to suit your child - you know them best!

Positive parenting has proven benefits for children, now and in the future

Tips to help your whole family's emotional wellbeing - including yours

Raise happier, more confident and capable kids

Improve your relationship with your child or teenager

Enjoy being a parent more!

Do programmes online, at your own pace

Is Fear-Less Triple P Online right for my family?

Help your child or teenager learn to manage and reduce anxious feelings, now and in the future

Online support for parents of anxious kids (6-14 years)

Find out the 'why' and 'how' of child and teen anxiety

Learn more about what's helpful and what can accidentally add to anxiety

Start applying new strategies immediately

New online programme based on proven principles

Improve your child's emotional wellbeing in the long term

Reduce your own stress, too!

Is Triple P Online for Baby right for my family?

Online support for parents-to-be and new parents (of babies up to 12 months old)

Promote your baby's social and cognitive development

Learn a variety of strategies to cope with frequent crying

Understand baby sleep patterns and healthy sleep habits

Take better care of your own emotional and mental health

Improve your relationship with your partner / other family members

Enjoying life as a new parent!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Successful kids, happier families | Triple P

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Set up your kids & teens for success & create a happier, calmer family life. 35+ years' research proves Triple P works for most families & it can work for you too! You choose the strategies that fit your family's needs. Do Triple P Online (the first online parenting programme proven to work) or Teen Triple P Online today!

# data[].attributes.headline
Videos with advice, tips and support for children's sleep

# data[].attributes.subject
Videos with advice, tips and support for children's sleep

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sleep is essential for children's growth and development, and important for our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

If your child or young person is struggling to sleep it can be exhausting for them and for the whole family. More than half of all children may have difficulties settling or sleeping at some point in childhood. Children with additional needs and learning disabilities can be more likely to experience sleep difficulties.

Everyone needs sleep. And lots of important processes take place whilst we're sleeping. A lack of sleep can affect our wellbeing and can cause depression, anxiety and difficulties regulating our emotions.

Common difficulties can include:

Finding it hard to settle when you go to bed

Waking throughout the night

Waking too early in the morning

Not falling asleep until late

Finding it difficult to get up in the morning

Feeling tired in the day.

If you would like further support contact our health visiting or school nursing teams through our advice line or visit a child health drop-in.

The sections below include videos, information, tips and advice on how to support the sleep of your toddler, child and teenager (including those with additional needs and learning disabilities).

Understanding your child or young person

The relationships in your child's life help shape their emotional health and wellbeing.

Finding time to think about your own feelings, your child's development, behavior and communication will support your understanding of them and how they are feeling. This can help you understand how to support your child with change and sleep difficulties.

Visit the Free guides: understanding your baby, child or teenager page to find out more.

Bedtime routine and bedroom environment

Bedtime routine

Bedtime routine is important in getting a good night's sleep helping to support children's body clocks and aid relaxation.

Consistency is key, sometimes sleep patterns may get worse before they get better. It is not uncommon to think that a new routine isn't working but it is important to stick to it for at least two weeks to see results.

Visit the The Sleep Charity website and Sleep Scotland website for more information.

Golden Hour

The golden hour is the hour before bedtime for relaxing and winding down. If your child is excited or anxious, their bodies will produce extra cortisol, a hormone that wakes us up and stops us falling asleep.

This will then suppress the production of the hormone melatonin, a hormone that encourages us to become sleepy. For children, there are lots of activities which stimulate cortisol production such as exercise, watching TV and dancing.

Focus on quiet time and relaxing, and offer quiet, relaxing activities for your child. This could include spending one-to-one time with your child. You may want to give deep pressure hugs which can have a calming effect. Listen to relaxing music or audio books, read a story or poems using a quiet tone. Do calming crafts or tasks, puzzles, colour block sorting, counting objects or a jigsaw.

Remember to turn screens off at least an hour before bedtime as they will stimulate your child.

Visit the Sleep Scotland website and The Sleep Charity website for further information

Bedroom environment

Temperature

Hot, cold and drafty rooms can seriously impact on sleep.

Your body's heat peaks in the evening and then drops to its lowest levels when you are asleep so between 16 and 20 degrees is an ideal temperature.

Temperatures over 24 degrees are likely to cause restlessness while a cold room of 12 degrees will make it difficult to fall asleep.

Young children may require a slightly warmer environment, so think about getting a thermometer to keep track of temperatures.

An extra layer of sheets or blankets will make you more comfortable when it's cold and a pair of bed socks can also help.

If it is safe to do so, have windows open to maximize cool air circulation in hot months.

Lighting

When we see light our bodies tell us it's time to wake up and when it's dark, we release melatonin (the sleep hormone) which relaxes the body and helps us to drift off to sleep.

Remember all screens and devices should be off, and not showing any light, so keep these out of the bedroom.

Comfort

Relaxation

The final step in creating the perfect sleeping environment is to ensure your child's bedroom is relaxing. Making sure the bedroom is calm, tranquil and uncluttered.

Some children may need additional sensory considerations and strategies in place to support and promote good sleep.

For children with additional needs and learning disabilities, please speak to a specialist school nurse or school nurse for more guidance and support.

Visit The Sleep Charity website and Sleep Scotland website for more information.

Keeping a sleep diary

If your child or young person is experiencing sleep difficulties, we would recommend using a sleep diary for at least 2 weeks.

Visit The Sleep Charity website for further information.

Sleep walking, nightmares and night terrors

Teenagers

Changes that occur during puberty can disrupt a teenager's body clock and cause it to shift.

During adolescence the body clock can shift around 2 hours later, and this can last until their early 20s.

This means that adolescents are likely to be more active in the evening and go to bed later.

Because of this, teenagers may find it hard to settle at night and get up in the morning.

Some teenagers find this shift to their body clock can be very disrupted.

This is going to sleep very late at night or in the early hours of the morning and getting up in the late afternoon.

A good evening routine will help to prevent disruption to a teenager's body clock.

Visit the Teen Sleep Hub website for further information including advice about:

anxiety

routine

going to sleep and waking up

social media, screen time and peer pressure

exercise

remixes to relax.

Children with additional needs and learning disabilities

Sleep difficulties in children and young people with additional health needs and learning disabilities can be more common and complex.

This can range from finding it hard to get to sleep and waking up a lot at night to irregular sleep patterns and waking early in the morning.

What are the reasons?

There can be several reasons for sleep issues such as:

physical reasons such as night-time wetting

reduced mobility meaning your child may not able to turn and reposition themselves without support

skin conditions causing itching and discomfort at night

epilepsy and night-time seizures or seizures on waking

autism or communication issues that can make changes to bedtime routines difficult (it is ok to change bedtime routines for autistic children, it just may take additional time and require extra support)

hyperactive or attention conditions that may make it difficult to settle or move between daytime and night-time routines

poor memory skills could mean a child has not learnt to sleep in their own bed

those who have had a lot of hospital stays may have disrupted sleep patterns.

Visit the Specialist School Nursing page, Mindworks website, Cerebra website or National Autistic Society website for further information.

Anxiety and sleep

Talk to your child to try and understand their anxiety or worries. With older children, try talking to them without any pressure, perhaps during mealtimes, whilst walking or during an activity like arts and crafts. It can be easier for them to talk when there is another focus.

Provide a calm and consistent bedtime routine for reassurance and predictability. Create a comfortable sleeping space and peaceful environment. Support them to learn how to self soothe by trying muscle relaxation, mindfulness, or something like worry bags, worry boxes or worry dolls.

Visit the Mindworks website and Beacon House website for further information.

Sleep strategies

The following strategies can support your child's sleep difficulties. The key is to be consistent and provide continual reassurance for your child.

Visit the Cerebra website for further information for children with additional needs and learning disabilities.

Visual timetables

Visual timetables are suitable for all children including those with additional needs and learning disabilities.

These timetables offer a series of pictures or symbols that can help children to understand the sequence of events in their sleep routine.

Visit the Autism Speaks website for further information.

Top tips

​​​​​​​

Make sure your child or young person is getting enough exercise throughout the day and eating well.

The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour body clock so what we do during the day, impacts us at night.

Provide a comfortable, uncluttered sleeping place and a relaxing bedroom environment.

Use calming and relaxing approaches such as a bath, puzzles and reading

Support your child to self-settle.

Establish a regular bedtime routine and be consistent every day of the week.

It can take several weeks or even months to establish a new routine so keep at it and persevere, you will get there.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child or young person is struggling to sleep it can be exhausting for them and for the whole family. More than half of all children may have difficulties settling or sleeping at some point in childhood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A decent night's sleep will help children to learn more effectively and make them less susceptible to minor ailments,

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Colour vision deficiency (CVD) or colour blindness is when the eyes are unable to detect certain colours. People with colour vision deficiency find it difficult to tell differences between colours. How difficult this might be for someone depends on the severity of the colour vision deficiency.

This page contains a summary of our information on colour vision deficiency. To read our full information, download our factsheet:

What causes CVD?

CVD is caused when there is a problem with the cone cells. The visible spectrum is the range of colours and wavelengths that the eye can see. There are three types of cone cells which detect a range of different colours or wavelengths of light:

Red cone cells detect long wavelengths of light

Green cone cells detect medium wavelengths of light

Blue cone cells detect short wavelengths of light

CVD is most commonly genetic or inherited (meaning you are born with it). Inherited CVD does not improve or get worse with age. Most forms of inherited CVD do not affect the eye's ability to see fine detail.

CVD can develop (be acquired) as the result of:

an underlying eye or health condition, such as optic neuritis from multiple sclerosis, or diabetes

a side effect of a medication

exposure to harmful chemicals

the ageing process

Red-green CVD

The most common forms of CVD are red-green deficiencies. These can be a form of dichromacy (where either the red or green cone cells are not working at all) or anomalous trichromacy (where either the red or green cells are not working fully).

If the green cone cells are affected, it can cause:

Deuteranopia - when the green cone cells are not working at all.

Deuteranomaly - when the green cone cells are not fully working.

If the red cone cells are affected, it can cause:

Protanopia - when the red cone cells are not working at all.

Protanomaly - when the red cone cells are not fully working.

How do red-green types of CVD affect colour vision?

Regardless of whether it is the red or green cone cells that are not working, the way that colour vision is affected is very similar. This is because there is overlap in the colours that the red and green cells can detect, so all colours containing red and green will be affected. This causes difficulty in telling the difference between:

reds, greens and browns

oranges and yellows

blues and purples

greys and pastel colours

People may see these colours as much duller than they would appear to someone with normal colour vision. People with red deficiencies may also confuse reds with black. The exact way that someone experiences colour with this type of CVD will be very individual as it will depend on the level of function of the cone cells.

What causes red-green CVD?

Red-green CVD is an inherited condition and therefore runs in families. You inherit genes from your parents. Your genes give the cells in your body the instructions they need to work well and stay healthy. If a gene has a mutation, there is a fault in their instructions and the cells using those instructions don't work as they should.

The genetic fault that causes red-green CVD is passed on in what's known as an X-linked inheritance pattern meaning the faulty gene lies on the sex chromosomes.

Each person has two sex chromosomes which determines their genetic sex at birth:

males have an X and Y chromosome and

females have two X chromosomes.

In the case of CVD, the colour deficiency gene is found on the X chromosome. A male has only one X chromosome that they inherit from their biological mother. If this has the faulty gene, then they will have CVD.

A female inherits two X chromosomes, one from the biological mother and one from the biological father. If they have a faulty gene on one X chromosome but a normal copy of the gene on the other, they are a carrier of the condition. This means they do not have CVD but can pass the faulty gene onto their children. For a female to be affected by CVD, she will need to inherit the faulty gene from both parents, which happens less commonly.

Red-green CVD is a lifelong condition, which doesn't improve or get worse throughout life. Whilst CVD does not affect your visual acuity (ability to see detail), it may limit your eligibility to join some professionals or specialist jobs within certain professions. It can also have an impact on education, sport and elements of everyday life where ability to distinguish between colours is essential, for example, accessing information on websites, presentations or documents, shopping, reading maps, and cooking.

Red-green CVD can be easily picked up using traditional colour vision tests such as Ishihara plates, which have been designed to detect the presence of red-green CVD and provide a pass or fail. More specialised occupational tests can be used to check whether someone with a CVD would be able to meet the colour vision standards for certain occupations, for example, where the work requires the ability to accurately read colours of light for safety reasons.

In the UK, school eye tests don't include screening for CVD. It's a good idea to ask the optometrist (optician) at your child's regular eye test about whether your child has had their colour vision tested.

Blue-yellow CVD

Blue-yellow CVD is less common than red-green CVD and occurs when the blue cone cells are affected.

Tritanopia is where the blue cones are not working at all.

Tritanomaly is where the blue cones are not working fully.

Blue-yellow CVD affects the ability to see light in the short wavelength (blue) part of the spectrum. This causes confusion between blues, greens, yellows, oranges and violets. The appearance of these colours may also be duller or paler.

Blue-yellow CVD can either be inherited or caused by other underlying eye or health conditions.

It is not inherited in the same pattern as red-green CVD and is not inherited on one of the sex chromosomes. This means that is affects males and females equally. However, it is still quite rare, affecting less than one percent of people.

Monochromatism and achromatopsia

Monochromatism and achromatopsia are both inherited eye conditions that cause complete colour vision loss.

Achromatopsia

Achromatopsia is a rare inherited condition affecting 1 in 30,000 people. Faults in several genes have been identified to cause achromatopsia. These faults mean that the cone cells cannot work properly.

Cone cells are responsible for seeing detail and colour and therefore people with this condition have difficulty seeing any colour and will also have blurred vision. It can also cause sensitivity to bright light (photophobia), so seeing in daylight can be difficult. It can also cause nystagmus, where the eyes move or 'wobble' constantly, and this can also affect vision. How severe these symptoms are can vary between different people, but achromatopsia doesn't cause total loss of vision and is generally stable over time.

Complete achromatopsia is when the cone cells don't work at all causing colour blindness. Incomplete achromatopsia is where the cone cells still work to some extent so some colour vision may be present.

Rarely achromatopsia can develop later in life. For example, cerebral achromatopsia can develop due to brain damage caused by a stroke.

Achromatopsia is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. This means that to inherit this condition, both your biological parents would have to carry the faulty gene for the condition. If you inherit the faulty gene from one parent but not the other, then you are a carrier - this means you don't have the condition but could pass on the faulty gene to your children. If two people carry the gene then their children have a 50% chance of being a carrier, 25% chance of inheriting the condition, and 25% chance of inheriting two completely normal copies of the gene.

Blue Cone monochromatism

Blue cone monochromatism is a rare inherited condition where only the blue cone cells are working. It affects less than 1 in 100,000 people.

It causes severely impaired colour vision, blurred vision, light sensitivity and nystagmus from birth. People with this condition are also short sighted (myopic).

It is caused by genetic changes on the X chromosome. This means that it affects males more frequently than females.

Is there any treatment for achromatopsia and cone monochromatism?

There is no cure for these conditions at present. Research is looking into potential gene therapy treatment to replace the faulty gene with a healthy copy.

Some adjustments can be made to help manage with these conditions including prescription glasses to correct any short or long sightedness. People may also benefit from wraparound sunglasses to reduce the light sensitivity and provide UV protection. Many people with achromatopsia find that red tinted sunglasses help with light sensitivity.

Low vision aids and assistive technology can help with daily activities. Assessment at a low vision clinic will also be beneficial. For more information call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit our low vision services.

Further help and support

Most forms of CVD do not affect your visual acuity (ability to see detail) or your visual field (the whole area of vision you have). Therefore, someone with CVD cannot be registered as sight impaired (partially sighted) or severely sight impaired (blind).

However, CVD can impact upon education, playing sport and careers if not properly supported. It's important to let your child's schoolteacher know about a diagnosis of CVD so that this can be managed. The Colour Blind Awareness organisation provides further advice and support for children and families.

If your child is diagnosed with monochromatism or achromatopsia they will have a reduced level of vision which means they may meet the criteria to be registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired. It's completely natural to be concerned and normal to find yourself worrying about what it means now and in the future. We're here to support you every step of the way, and to answer any questions you may have - just get in touch with our Sight Loss Advice Service.

Page last reviewed: Aug. 9, 2023

Next review due: Aug. 9, 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD), also known as colour blindness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're affected by sight loss, we're here for you

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Services for Vision and Multisensory Children and Young people offer support to young people, who have a diagnosed visual, or multisensory impairment, in education, up to the age of 25.

We are part of the Sensory and Physical Service within the Specialist Education Service.

Our Specialist Teachers provide assessment, and advice for curriculum and technology access, and the teaching of Braille. Our Sensory Support Practitioners provide additional one-to-one input with children and young people.

We also provide training on awareness of types of sight loss, practical ways to support visual access, and how to adapt learning environments to increase independence. Our training sessions are available to families, schools, other Suffolk County Council agencies and to voluntary groups.

What we offer

Pre-school children

We support children aged 0-3 and their families and we hold an informal drop-in group for pre-school visually impaired children and their families, providing play activities and an opportunities for parents to meet our team, and each other.

Schools and Colleges

We provide specialist assessment and advice to children and young people attending all schools and colleges, including specialist provisions - Suffolk schools, Academies and Free Schools. For Independent schools we have a Traded Offer, following an initial consultation for which there is no fee.

Intervenor Service

Our Intervenor Service provides one-to-one Intervenor support to children and young people who have a combined significant visual and hearing loss (Multisensory Impairment). Intervenors support sensory and communication access in school settings. This is a paid for service. Read the criteria for the service.

Braille Literacy

We provide Braille tuition and Braille resources for all children and young people learning Braille. We also offer training and support for school and setting staff learning Braille and provide on-going support for the use of Braille technology for pupils, students, and their educational settings. We support families in learning and using Braille as well.

Habilitation - Mobility and Independence

Our Habilitation Specialist provides one-to-one mobility, travel, and independence skills training for children and young people. We also provide mobility training for school and setting staff.

Our Habilitation Specialist also carries out visual access environmental audits for schools and setting, to help them be fully accessible for children and young people with visual needs.

ICT Access

We provide specialist visual access technology to children and young people with visual impairments such that they are not able to use the adaptive access features in typical digital devices, e.g. Laptop computers.

We provide one-to-one training and support to children and young people, their families, schools, and settings, in the use of the visual access features found in typical mainstream technology with access features.

Contact details and referral details

We accept referrals from education settings or directly from families.

Schools should refer to the Service using the Sensory Service Referral Form. For a more detailed overview of the Service, please refer to the Service Specification.

If you are a family, then to contact us in the first instance, please email [email protected] .

Our team comprises:
Service for Vision - Children and Young People
Cathy Tatum - Joint Service Lead - One page profile

Rachel Lewis - Joint Service Lead - One page profile

Jenny Goode - Specialist Teacher

Suzanne Read - Specialist Teacher

Tracey Surl - Specialist Teacher

Helen Cain - Sensory Support Practitioner

Lydia Garside - Sensory Support Practitioner

Rachel Harris - Sensory Support Practitioner

Laura Picknell - Sensory Support Practitioner

Steve Giddings - Habilitation Specialist (Mobility and Independence)

Lucy Walsh - Sensory Support Practitioner

Vicky Songer - Sensory Support Practitioner

Bryony Barcroft - Sensory Support Practitioner
Service for Multisensory children and young people
Hollie Osborne - Service Lead - One page profile

Tanya Turner - Lead Intervenor

Kirsty Goodchild - Intervenor

Amy Bond - Intervenor

Amelia Hale - Intervenor

Tracey Fryatt - Intervenor

Molly Robson - Intervenor

Amy Pimble - Intervenor

Janice Richards - Intervenor

Anna Hartley - Sensory Support Practitioner

Steve Giddings - Habilitation Specialist (Mobility and Independence)

Resources for education
Resources from Sensory and Physical Service VI Service Leaflet Classroom Recommendations Visually Accessible iPad Apps VI & MSI Online Resources
The RNIB is a charity organisation created to support visually impaired people, their families and professionals involved.

Guide Dogs offer a range of services for people with sight loss.

Sensing Change are a Suffolk based organisation that provide support and guidance to those with vision or hearing loss.

Suffolk Sight is the sight loss charity for Suffolk.

VICTA is a national charity that provides support to children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted.

LOOK is a small charity based in Hereford, that work nationally to support VI Children, young people and their families.

Seeability Provide specialist support and eye care for people with learning disabilities.

SENSE is a national charity that supports multisensory impaired young people and their families.

The Scottish Sensory Centre provide support and learning resources for everyone involved in the education of children and young people who have visual impairments or who are Deafblind.

Paths to Literacy is a US based website that has a great deal of useful information and ideas for supporting VI children's education at home.

Sight Scotland provide support, guidance resources around sight loss.

Positive Eye is an independent provider of training and resources designed to support the learning and development of children and young people who have sight loss.

CVI Scotland provides up to date research and resources relating to Cerebral Visual Impairment.

VIEW is a registered charity, which represents the interests and needs of children and young people with visual impairment across the United Kingdom.

Perkins School for the Blind provides information and learning resources for visually impaired and Deafblind children and young people.

The following organisations all allow you to download digital books or audiobooks via a device:

RNIB Bookshare

RNIB Reading Services
Calibre Audio
Click4Assistance UK Live Chat Software

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Vision and Multi-Sensory Services – Suffolk Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Services for Vision and Multisensory Children and Young people offer support to young people, who have a diagnosed visual, or multisensory impairment, in education, up to the age of 25.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cruse Bereavement Support is a voluntary organisation that is non-religious and non political.

We offer free bereavement support to adults and specialist support to children and young people. Bereaved people can self-refer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Suffolk InfoLink | Cruse Bereavement Support (Suffolk Area)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cruse Bereavement Support is a voluntary organisation that is non-religious and non political. We offer free bereavement support to adults and specialist support to children and young people. Bereaved people can self-refer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bereavement Support in Suffolk | Bereavement Groups & Services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get information on local bereavement support services in Suffolk. A list of Suffolk bereavement support groups and organisations offering bereavement care

# data[].attributes.headline
Advice and strategies for teaching your child to dress/undress, use a knife and fork etc

# data[].attributes.subject
Advice and strategies for teaching your child to dress/undress, use a knife and fork etc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Her Majesty, the Queen's funeral on Monday, 19 September is a bank holiday. All urgent care services, or services that would normally operate on a weekend or a bank holiday, such as, district nursing and rapid response, will continue.

Planned appointments for other services will be rescheduled. If this affects you, you will be contacted by the service and informed of the cancellation. The service will contact you again to rearrange your appointment. Catch-up clinics are being planned to keep waiting times to a minimum. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Please contact the service if you need any further assistance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children's TherapiesThe Pod Occupational therapy Some children may struggle with getting dressed and ready for school, using cutlery, joining in with ball games or using playground equipment in the way their friends do. Our aim is to support children and young people who are experiencing difficulties with participating in everyday activities or occupations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to content

We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. If you're concerned about your child's speech and language development, we can help.

We know that it can be hard to know where to start if you are worried about your child's development. If you think your child is having challenges with talking and understanding words, we are here to help you.

Our free resources and services can help with understanding what to look out for, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.

Our progress checker will provide short questions you can answer to see how your baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Help for families - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. Access our free resources and learn more about ways to encourage children's speech and language development.

# data[].attributes.body
Stamma has more information and support for people who stammer and parents of stammering children. For support or to find out about the services available in your area, call the helpline on 0808 802 0002 or start a webchat (Monday to Thursday 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for help with your stammer? Has your child started stammering? We’re here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learning to talk, like learning to walk, is never completely smooth and does not happen straight away. Young children often stop, pause, start again and stumble over words when they are learning to talk. Between the ages of two and five, it is normal for a child to repeat words and phrases, and hesitate with "ums" and "ers", especially when they are thinking about what they are going to say next.

For some children learning to talk can be a bit more difficult and their words can appear to get stuck. Approximately five percent of children experience stammering while they are learning to talk. However, the majority of these children will go on to be fluent speakers. Stammering is when

Sounds or syllables may be repeated e.g. mu mum mummy

Sounds may be stretched out to make the word longer e.g. fffffffffffish

A word becomes stuck and doesn't come out at all (this can sometimes be harder to notice)

It's not known exactly why a child stammers but evidence indicates that a combination of factors are involved. There is no evidence that parents cause stammering. However, there are lots of things that parents can do to support their child's fluency. Please see our Top Tips video below and leaflets for some ideas.

There are certain factors which make a child more vulnerable to stammering. You may want to consider referring your child to speech and language therapy if they:

Have been stammering for over 1 year.

Have a stammer that has been getting worse.

Have a family history of stammering.

Have moments of stammering that appear to be very tense.

Are aware or concerned about their speech.

Give up on what they're trying to say, or avoid speaking in certain situations.

Have other speech, language or communication difficulties.

Strategies and approaches

There are many ways to support fluency. Watch our key top tips video for further information.

Useful websites

Referral

There are a number of factors to consider when deciding if to refer for stammering if one or more of the following apply we recommend that you refer (however you can always contact us for advice);

The child's parents are very anxious or concerned about their stammer

The child is aware/upset by their stammer

The child's stammer has lasted for over 1 year, and seems to be getting worse rather than improving

The child's stammer is significantly disrupting their flow of speech, and/or appears to be tense

The child's stammer is beginning to impact on their confidence/willingness to speak in certain situations.

To refer your child to receive support for Stammering please use the Children's Therapies Service referral form.

Workshops

If you have been advised to access our online training resource please watch the video for your child's age e.g. if your child is 5 years old please watch the Under 8's stammering Workshop.

Or if your child is 12 years old please watch the Over 8's workshop.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning to talk, like learning to walk, is never completely smooth and does not happen straight away. Young children often stop, pause, start again and stumble over words when they are learning to talk. Between the ages of two and five, it is normal for a child to repeat words and phrases, and hesitate with [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cued Articulation, Jane Passy - summary of all sounds and handsigns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sensory Processing Issues: Strategies to Use At Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MY CHILD IS SENSORY SEEKING: How To Fulfill Sensory Integration / Needs At Home: Sensory Processing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home Activities

Introduction

Incorporating Sensory Input into Daily Activities

Other General Guidelines for the Home

Introduction

All children can benefit from appropriate sensory experiences. There is much research available demonstrating the benefits of sensory rich environments for animals and the same appears to be true for humans. For children who have atypical reactions to the sensory environment, the world can be a scary and challenging place.

Many aspects of home and family life may be affected when living with a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). As a parent of a child with SPD, you know how hectic and chaotic it can be at home. Any activity suggestions must fit easily into typical home routines or they will not be utilized. Therefore, the following suggestions are organized around typical daily household tasks wherever possible.

Before attempting any of these activities, it is important that you understand some basic principles.

Any activity list available on the Internet cannot possibly be individualized for a child and therefore some activities may not be appropriate for your child.

Some children may be over sensitive to sensations and will be fearful or withdraw from certain activities or sensations. Other children may be sensory seeking and find many of these activities enjoyable. You must carefully observe your child’s reactions and respect them.

A child who is indicating fear or distress should not be forced to participate. The child’s fear and discomfort is based on his or her nervous system’s reaction to sensation and is real, and not under his or her control.

Many children fluctuate between sensory sensitivity and sensory seeking behaviors, and others may be sensitive to certain sensations but seek other ones. Each child’s patterns may be highly unique and individual, and it is not uncommon for those patterns to change depending upon the context the child is in (where, when, what is going on, etc.).

Sensory seekers tend to be very active children, who are on the go. They often respond positively to very intense forms of sensory stimulation and look for ways to move, jump, fall, crash, kick, push, etc. Creating ways to incorporate these needs into safe and fun activities that provide the desired intensity may allow your child to come to a calm and focused place. Think about ways your child can safely push, pull, kick, hang, jump, and lift. (For example, bowling, playground monkey bars, trampolines, pushing a "heavy bag" back and forth with you, pulling a heavy wagon.)

Children who are sensitive to certain sensations (sounds, lights, smells) may like activities that provide intense deep pressure to the skin, resistance to the muscles, and input to the joints. In general, these inputs are calming for the system.

Lastly, watch for signs that your child is becoming overly silly, unsafe, extremely over-active, or inattentive. Also watch for sudden yawning, hiccoughing, burping, or changes in skin color. If you note these things, stop the activity immediately and if necessary find something calming for your child (wrapping up in a blanket, very slow rocking, big bear hug, snuggling in a big comfy chair, warm bath or shower).

The best way to approach these activities is to present some ideas to your child and allow their preferences to guide you. You may also find other similar ideas to add to your child’s list of personal favorites.

Incorporating Sensory Input into Daily Activities

Bath time: Scrub with washcloth or bath brush, try a variety of soaps and lotions for bathing, play on the wall with shaving cream or bathing foam, rub body with lotion after bath time (deep massage), sprinkle powder onto body and brush or rub into skin.

Meal preparation or baking: Let your child mix ingredients, especially the thick ones that will really work those muscles. Let child mix and roll dough and push flat. Allow child to help you carry pots and pans, bowls of water or ingredients (with supervision, of course). Let your child tenderize meat with the meat mallet.

Grocery shopping: Have your child push the heavy cart (as long as the weight is within their capability). Let your child help carry heavy groceries and help put them away.

Mealtime: Encourage eating of chewy foods and drinking out of a straw. Try having your child sit on an air cushion to allow some movement. A weighted lap blanket may be helpful as well.

Household chores: Allow the child to help with the vacuuming or moving the furniture. Let the child help carry the laundry basket or the detergent. Let the child help with digging for gardening or landscaping.

Play time: Reading books in a rocking chair or bean-bag chair may be beneficial. You can help your child make up obstacle courses in the house or yard using crawling, jumping, hopping, skipping, rolling, etc. Listen to soft music. Play the sandwich game (child lies in between two pillows and pretends to be the sandwich, while you provide pressure to the top pillow to the child’s desired amount). Ask them "harder or softer?" as you push on the pillow. Some children will like much more pressure than you would expect. You can also go for a neighborhood walk with a wagon and have your child pull it (make it semi-heavy by loading it with something the child would like to pull around). You can do the same with a baby-doll carriage. Swimming in a pool is a wonderful activity if you have that available, as are horseback riding and bowling. Mini or full-size trampolines are excellent for providing sensory input as well. Make sure the child is using them safely. Sandboxes, or big containers of beans or popcorn kernels can be fun play-boxes. too, if you add small cars, shovels, cups, etc.

Errands and appointments: Before visiting the dentist or hairdresser try deep massage to the head or scalp (if tolerated), or try having your child wear a weighted hat. Try chewy foods or vibration to the mouth with an electric toothbrush. Let your child wear a heavy backpack (weighted to their liking with books and with the straps padded as needed). Be sure to give the child ample warning before any changes in routine or any unscheduled trips or errands. Many children with SPD need predictability.

Other General Guidelines for the Home

Keep routines and possessions organized.

Be consistent with rules and consequences.

Keep an activity schedule or calendar posted.

Create specific routines for troublesome times of day (bedtime or getting ready for school).

Discuss upcoming anticipated changes in routine at a point in time that is beneficial for your child. You will have to experiment with how early the child "needs to know."

Try to indirectly use your child’s sensory preferences for fun rewards to help you handle behavior. For example, having your child work towards an extra trip to go bowling or horseback riding may be helpful. However, try not to restrict movement activities when your child is being disciplined. For example, taking away recess time or playground time for not sitting at the table appropriately during dinner may not be the most effective way to deal with these issues. Your child may need that movement time, and by removing it, his or her behavior may actually become more difficult later.

About the author:

Heather Miller-Kuhaneck currently teaches in the graduate occupational therapy program at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. She has practiced in pediatrics for years, and has specialized in school-based practice and outpatient occupational therapy using Ayres’ sensory integrative approach. She has edited a book on occupational therapy for children with autism, and has been the quarterly editor for AOTA’s School System Special Interest Section. She is currently developing an assessment tool to examine behaviors indicative of sensory integration dysfunction in the school setting. She can be reached at Hmillerot@yahoo.comor kuhaneckh@sacredheart.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Introduction Incorporating Sensory Input into Daily Activities Other General Guidelines for the Home Introduction All children can benefit from appropriate sensory experiences. There is much research available demonstrating the benefits of sensory rich environments for animals and the same app…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Equality. Access. Freedom of choice. The BDA is the UK's leading membership organisation and registered charity led by Deaf people, for Deaf people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is a list of UK organisations we think may be of interest to adults with hearing loss, their friends and families.

AbilityNet exists to change the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology at work, at home or in education.

The Access London Theatre brochure features audio-described, captioned, signed and relaxed performance listings for theatres across London and is available in print, Braille and CD.

Action on Hearing Loss is the largest charity in the UK campaigning, lobbying and raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss.

Age UK brings together Age Concern and Help the Aged. The Age UK Group works to improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and vital support.

Alliance on Hearing Loss

Hearing Link is an active member of the Alliance on Hearing Loss - a coalition of charities and professional representative groups working together to prevent and reduce the impact of hearing loss and tinnitus. The Alliance promotes the inclusion and participation of people who are deaf and hard of hearing in society. Download the declaration and quality statement for hearing services.

The aim of ATLA is to create a world where lipreading classes are available to anyone who needs them.

BAA is the largest association of professionals in hearing and balance in the UK. Membership extends internationally and provides services in both the public and private sector.

Bid Services is a charity working with children and adults with hearing loss, sight loss or both. They provide a range of services including specialist equipment support, employment support and social work. To check which services are available in your area, please visit their website for further information.

Deaf and Equal is particularly aimed at sectors that have a poor reputation for discriminating against Deaf people by either refusing access or refusing to provide information in an accessible format.

DeafblindUK supports people with combined sight and hearing loss to live the lives they want.

Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) delivers specialist services and community activities for D/deaf and hard of hearing adults and children in Gloucestershire.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People train hearing dogs to alert deaf people to select household sounds and danger signals in the home, work place and in public buildings - providing a life-changing level of independence, confidence and security.

The JDA is an independent, national charity offering professional support services, information and a range of social, cultural and educational programmes to people with all levels of hearing loss, people experiencing tinnitus, their friends, families and colleagues.

The NADP provides information and support for deafened people who have lost all or most of their useful hearing, and for their families and friends, to help enable them to regain their independence and enjoy the best quality of life. The NADP is run by and for deafened people.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit is a partnership between University of Nottingham, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research.

Open Ears is a non-denominational Christian charity for people who have various degrees of impaired hearing, mainly (but not exclusively) those who communicate orally, assisted by hearing aids or cochlear implants and lip-reading.

RAD strives to meet the individual needs of Deaf children and adults and deafblind people through the provision of services and the use of RAD Centres for Deaf People.

Sense is a national charity that supports and campaigns for adults and children who are deafblind. Services include: one-to-one support to help people live independently, communicator guides, housing, holidays and employment opportunities.

Soundz Off brings together, in one place, a list of organisations, support services, forums, social media links, general information and lots more for people in the UK who are hard of hearing or d/Deaf.

Stagetext makes theatre and culture accessible to deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people.

UKCoD is the umbrella body for voluntary organisations working with deaf people in the UK.

Subtitled film listings for all four countries of the UK.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is a list of UK organisations we think may be of interest to adults with hearing loss, their friends and families. AbilityNet exists to change the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology at work, at home or in education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home-based occupational therapy is a chance to integrate therapy into a child's daily life and routine. Sessions take place in their natural environment, giving kids and caregivers a sense of comfort, and oftentimes toys and supplies from the home are used which helps with more a seamless transition of therapy program recommendations. At-home OT can also be a great supplement to clinic-based sessions and is particularly helpful for children under three, as the home is their primary environment for their daily activities: eating, bathing, playing and socializing.

Occupational therapists also encourage functioning and independence with personal goals across all environments. It's through occupational therapy home programs that families, parents, and teachers are encouraged to get involved with a child's goals so they can accomplish skills at home, in the classroom, and community.

Below our team of occupational therapists share suggestions for fun and simple occupational therapy activities families can do at home. From working on fine motor skills to improving core strength to encouraging messy play, these therapeutic activities will help promote independence and develop life skills.

Incorporate Regular and Frequent Movement Breaks

This can look different based on the age of the child, but some examples include log rolling, bear crawling, jumping up and down on a trampoline, and swinging.

The benefit: Just like adults, kids attention can wane when their bodies have to remain still and quiet for long periods of of time. Incorporating movement breaks can support children to maintain concentration and attention and regulate their energy levels. Movement is essential for the development of gross and fine motor skills, physical fitness, language and communication, and learning.

Create a Letter Bead Necklace

For this activity, have your child find the letters of his or her name on letter beads. Hide their selected letter beads in Play-Doh and so they can work on finding them. Once they find all the beads, they can create a necklace!

The benefits: Promotes bilateral integration (the ability to coordinate both sides of the body for a purposeful action) and fine motor skills (the use of the small muscles controlling the hand, fingers, and thumb).

Find the Cotton Ball

Place cotton balls within a whisk, and have your child pull them out from between the wire loops.

The benefits: Promotes fine motor skills and visual perception skills (the ability to give meaning to what a person is seeing).

Clean the Windows

Fill a spray bottle with water and have them "clean" the windows! They can also spray a sponge with a spray bottle and then practice wringing out the sponge. Encourage your child to change their positions often - switching between standing, sitting and kneeling.

The benefits: Upper extremity strengthening (shoulders, arms, hands) and an independent, active daily living skill that contributes to the social environment of the family.

Cleaning can be considered "heavy work" which provides information to our muscles and then gives feedback to our bodies about where they are in space - a sense called proprioception. Proprioceptive input can also help calm a child and help them focus and attend to a desired activity.

Create an Ornament

You can create a fun decoration while your child can practice cutting simple shapes! With adult supervision, you can use a hole punch to punch holes along the perimeter and lace the shape to create an ornament.

The benefits: Encourages participation in cultural and/or family celebrations, social engagement and communication skills.

Promotes fine motor skills and visual motor integration, which includes visual perception and fine motor coordination (the controlled physical movement of the fingers and hand).

Singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Have your child sit on the floor, facing either the adult or another child, each holding onto one end of a jump rope or onto each other's wrists. As both sing the song, one person leans back as the other leans forward and then the opposite, similar to a see-saw motion.

The benefits: Social engagement (tip: singing along with a caregiver increases interest and engagement), language and communication skills

Sensory regulation: singing a familiar song can be calming for children

Coordination: use of arms to imitate the "row" and balancing on a ball to engage the core as they "float on the river"

Practice a Kangaroo Kick

To practice, you will need a large therapy ball or a similar-sized bouncy ball. Have your child lie on back with their feet in the air, forearms resting on the surface. You can throw a large therapy ball toward the child's feet, encouraging them to kick the ball upward and back towards you.

The benefits: Engages core abdominal muscles including the trunk, stomach, and pelvic area.

Decreased core strength can affect several areas of development. It may be difficult to balance, perform coordinated movements on both sides of the body, sit up straight in a chair, hold a pencil, control scissors or jump without a strong core.

Play Indoor Limbo

Limbo isn't just a party game! Use items around your house, like a broom between two chairs, to play a round of limbo.

The benefits: Activates core abdominal muscles, encourages turn-taking and social engagement with playmates and caregivers, and promotes gross motor coordination and balance.

Create a Papier-Mâché Piñata

To create a papier-mache pinata, dip strips of newspaper into papier-mâché flour/water mixture and places them on an inflated balloon. Cover the entire surface except for a small opening at the top and leave it to harden for at least 24 hours. Once it's dry, use the small opening at the top for popping the balloon. Paint and decorate the pinata, and fill with candy for a fun surprise!

The benefits: Social engagement with family in a cultural activity, promotes communication skills, fine motor skills (e.g., pinching and tearing paper), and upper extremity strengthening and visual skills (e.g., swinging bat at pinata).

Make your Own Playdough

Making playdough is not only enjoyable for kids, but it also addresses many important skills. Mix flour, water, salt, food coloring, and vegetable oil together. Have your child participate in mixing using their fingers or a spoon. If they do not like the feeling of touching the material, allow them to use a utensil, like a spoon, to help stir. Reassure the child by showing them it is safe to touch the messy items and keep a towel nearby to allow them to wipe their own hands.

The benefits: Cognitive skills: sequencing and following the steps of the recipe

Sensory skills: tactile (touch) input during messy play, helping reduce sensitivity to touch. Tactile sensitivity is when a child is bothered by different types of touch. This occurs because the touch receptors in the child's skin feel different forms of touch more than the typical person.

Hand strengthening: pinching, squeezing and rolling

Visual motor skills: creating shapes, letters, and imitating forms with dough

Learn more about Lurie Children's Occupational Therapy services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ten Occupational Therapy At-Home Activities For Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Like many children staying home, your child may be missing out on services they typically receive, including occupational therapy. Our occupational therapists share some fun, simple activities that parents can use to incorporate more occupational therapy at home. Read more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many parents tell us they’re not always confident in dealing with challenging aspects of their 4-8 year old’s behaviour, so here’s our guide to help with this.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parenting is an incredibly rewarding and challenging experience.

At times, it can feel like a real roller coaster of emotions - particularly if your child or young person is behaving in ways that feel difficult to manage or understand.

If your child's behaviour is challenging at the moment, it might feel exhausting. But things can change. With support, both of you can experience a more positive family life. On this page, we've got lots of ideas and strategies to help you deal with difficult moments.

What is challenging behaviour?

Most children and young people will behave in challenging ways at some point. Feeling upset, angry, stressed or disappointed is a normal part of life. Because we develop our ability to manage our emotions as we grow up, children and young people do sometimes act out when they're going through big feelings. In response to their emotions, they may display a range of behaviours. It's normal for younger children to hit or 'have a tantrum' sometimes. And it's normal for teenagers to shout, lash out or storm out sometimes. Most children and teenagers will also push boundaries as they test their independence.

But sometimes, challenging behaviour can become more frequent and difficult to deal with. It may start to have an impact on someone's day-to-day quality of life, on relationships and learning at school, and on other family members.

Examples of challenging behaviour include:

having lots of angry outbursts or 'tantrums'

regularly shouting, swearing, hitting, biting or kicking

kicking, hitting, smashing or damaging things in the home

regularly refusing boundaries and routines, including not wanting to respond to reasonable requests

being impulsive and taking physical risks

blaming others for their behaviour

bullying or being unkind towards others

persistently getting into trouble at school

refusing to engage in conversations about what's going on

Why do children and young people behave in challenging ways?

An iceberg submerged in water, with the text 'When we seem angry or aggressive, there are often other feelings hidden under the surface'. The words Angry and Aggressive are displayed on the section of the iceberg above the water, and the words Worried, Hurt, Scared, Lonely, Stressed, Overwhelmed, Ashamed, Ignored, Sad are displayed on the iceberg below the water.

The way your child behaves is a communication about how they're feeling.

When your child is acting out, it can be helpful to think about the image of an iceberg. We only see the top of an iceberg because most of it is underwater. Similarly, when your child is behaving in challenging ways, there will be feelings going on under the surface that you cannot see. Your child may not be aware of these feelings and may need your help to talk about them.

Underneath their behaviour, a child or young person may be feeling angry, tired, stressed, anxious, confused, hurt, jealous, bored or something else. Whatever's going on, try to remember that the behaviour you see on the surface is not the whole story.

Talking to your child about their behaviour

If your child is acting out, starting a conversation about what's going on can often feel like the hardest bit. Your child might not want to talk, or they might find it hard to recognise that there is a problem.

Starting a conversation while doing an activity together is a good strategy to try. This can help your child to relax by making it feel like less of a 'big chat'. Depending on your child's age, you could go for a walk, cook or bake together, or do something creative like colouring. Or you could start a conversation while travelling somewhere together.

If your child cannot talk at the moment, you could start a conversation by text or write them a letter instead.

Whether you're talking in-person or in another way, our tips below can help you to have a positive conversation with your child.

Try to use simple phrases such as:

"I notice there is a lot of shouting happening."

"I think something might be upsetting you."

"I feel worried you're not happy."

"I need you to know you can talk to me about what's going on."

Be specific about the behaviour you have noticed, without using labels or negative words such as 'naughty', 'bad behaviour' or 'horrible'.

Tell your child that it's normal to feel angry, frustrated or upset, but it's not okay to express it in this way.

Helping your child to manage their behaviour

Having some behaviour management strategies in mind can help you to feel more confident. Below are some things you can try to help your child manage their behaviour. Have a go at some different strategies until you find what works for you and your child. Be patient if new strategies do not seem to work straightaway. It often does take a bit of time for change to happen, and for your child to get used to things.

Remembering to explain why can help - so rather than just shouting 'sit down' at the table, I try to let them know that I'd like them to sit down so we can enjoy eating and that we can go and play when we've finished.

Challenging behaviour is exhausting and demoralising. In our family it often leads to everyone feeling less positive and only picking out the negative behaviours, which is so hard not to do. When we notice that we have all gotten stuck in a negative rut, we make an effort to pick up on and name some positives, however small, and this helps us move through a difficult time.

Depending on their age, some of these strategies might help your child to calm down:

drawing or painting

doing something active like running or their favourite sport

listening to music

having some time alone

reading a book

writing

cooking or baking

making something out of playdough or Lego

Having a list of coping strategies will help them to build up a bank of tools they can use when they're struggling.

Reading stories together that talk about feelings has helped my child get used to the words - giving them a way to talk about positive and difficult things.

It's completely normal to feel frustrated, angry, overwhelmed or hurt when your child is behaving in challenging ways. But try not to react or argue back, as this will only escalate the situation.

If you feel yourself running out of patience and it is safe to do so, it's okay to walk away for a few minutes to calm down. This is actually a positive strategy your child can learn from you when they see you doing it. After a particular incident, make sure both of you have some space before you try to talk about what has happened.

Finding professional support for your child

A counsellor or therapist can support your child to understand and manage their feelings and behaviour. Counsellors working with younger children will usually do this through play and arts activities.

Have a look at our guide to counselling and therapy to find out how you can access services in your area.

Be open with the school about the challenges you are experiencing and ask them for advice. Lots of primary and secondary schools provide extra support like mentoring, pastoral check-ins, learning support, peer buddying, and clubs and activities.

Whether they are at primary or secondary school, you might have noticed that something at school is triggering your child's behaviour. This could be their relationships with their peers, their schoolwork or learning, or the school environment. If this is the case, work with the school to address this. You can find information and advice to help you do this in our guide to school anxiety.

If you are worried that your child is behaving in challenging ways because they are struggling with their mental health, it's a good idea to speak to a GP. If you have a younger child, you can speak to the GP yourself to get information and advice. If you have a teenager, you can encourage them to make an appointment or ask them to go to an appointment with you.

The GP can discuss what's happening and make suggestions for what might help. They can also make a referral to the NHS mental health service for children and young people, called CAMHS.

You can find out more about how GPs can help in our guide to getting support from the GP.

Sometimes, children and young people behave in challenging ways when they have an additional need, neurodiverse condition, learning disability or developmental difficulty that has not been recognised. This can include dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, ADHD, or difficulties hearing or speaking. In this situation, they may be acting out because their needs are not understood at home or school.

If you think your child might have an additional need, speak to your GP, or to your child's teacher, pastoral lead or SENCO. They can make a referral for an assessment. It's helpful to make a log of the behaviour you have noticed so that you can provide evidence when communicating with professionals.

If your child is diagnosed with an additional need, you can ask the professionals supporting them about parenting strategies that will best suit them.

You can find out more about the support available in our guide to getting mental health support.

Looking after yourself

Supporting a child who is behaving in challenging ways can be an exhausting task. If things are tough at the moment, don't be hard on yourself or your abilities as a parent. While it's normal to feel upset when your child is acting out, often it is not about you. Like us, children and young people take things out on those they feel closest to and safest with. So try not to take it personally. Keep doing the things that help you re-charge and ask for support when you need it.

You might also find it helpful to reach out to other parents. It can be very reassuring to hear what they are struggling with and how they handle difficult situations. They can also be someone who gets it when you need to talk.

You can connect with other parents by:

reaching out to family and friends

accessing peer and group parent support through Parenting Mental Health

joining Facebook groups or other online groups

setting up your own parent support group using our guide

You might also find helpful...

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.
This page was reviewed in July 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with challenging behaviour. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Challenging Behaviour | Parents' Guide To Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read our advice on what to do about your child or young person's challenging behaviour, including behaviour management strategies to help you deal with it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advice on helping your child develop their social skills | Family Lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advice on helping your child develop their social skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While some children who had social skills struggles before the coronavirus crisis are now finding it easier to communicate with their friends remotely, others are struggling to connect. Regardless of which category your child falls into, you may be worried that social distancing will set them back. If you're stuck at home, how can you help your child maintain and build upon the social skills they'll need to interact successfully with peers - in person or virtually?

The truth is that teaching kids social skills can be challenging for parents because these are skills most people pick up on their own. We usually don't even know how we learned them, says Stephanie Lee, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. "Parents with children who have social skills deficits need to remember that even if something seems obvious, it may not be obvious for their kids."

For example, Dr. Lee notes, "I don't think anyone ever told me that if I'm having a conversation with someone and they start to walk towards the door or look at their watch, that means they're trying to wrap up. It's just something I figured out."

But the good news is that there are ways you can help your child develop these crucial skills at home, even while their contact with peers is limited to virtual interactions.

Use modeling to focus on social skills

Try consciously modeling a few of the most important social skills, many of which will naturally occur with everyone cooped up together.

Taking turns. Patiently waiting your turn to speak is a struggle for many children during in-person conversations, and it's even more challenging over video chat. "Right now, you could practice purposeful turn taking with everyone in the home," says Michelle Kaplan, LCSW, a clinical social worker. "For younger kids, you can take turns being in charge of who selects what you'll build or how you'll play with the dolls, and for older kids you can practice taking turns selecting games and topics of conversation."

Seeing things from someone else's perspective. Tell your child how you made decisions during your day and what motivated your behavior so they can practice taking on your perspective. When possible, explain how you how you took someone else's perspective, too. "For example, instead of saying, 'I had a good day today,' explain that you noticed an employee was feeling down," says Dr. Lee. "Tell your child that you tried to take her perspective and thought about how difficult it must be for her to work with three kids at home. So you discussed it with her and decided to change her hours."

Being flexible. Lee recommends talking through your choices and actions to help your child understand how to tolerate their feelings and be flexible. For example, you might say: "I've been really upset and stressed today, and I think the news is what triggered me. So I'm not going to read or watch the news for the rest of the night. Instead, I'm going to play a game or read a book to distract myself."

Sneak social skills lessons into movie nights

For children or teens who don't understand societal norms, use your time watching TV or movies with them to build understanding, especially if they want to know more about the shows their friends are watching.

Try a comedy. Understanding unspoken social rules and why things are funny can help children better relate to their peers. "For kids with social skills deficits, it can be hard for them to pick up on social awkwardness or sarcasm," Dr. Lee explains. "They might not know enough about the characters to understand the dynamics, or they may not understand what behavior is considered appropriate for that setting. So you'll need to explain the specifics and point out why it's funny."

Set the scene. Before you start a new episode (or toward the beginning, if the show or movie is new to your child), talk with your child about the characters and the setting. What do they know about them? How do they know it? What do they expect to happen? Through conversation, you can help your child work out some of the connections that they'll need to understand the action.

Keep the remote handy. It's often helpful to pause the video and to discuss what's happening in real time. You can also rewind to help your child decode a character's actions, or even pause on specific frames to point out what you notice about a character's body language or facial expression.

Even though your child can't see their peers in person right now, you can still encourage them to check in with friends and family via video chat, text or playing online games. Especially if your child tends to experience social anxiety, a little regular practice connecting with others can go a long way.

After a virtual playdate or chat with relatives, check in with your child. How did the interaction go? What did they enjoy? What was challenging? What could they do differently next time? Don't worry if you and your family don't have a lot of time or energy for this kind of practice right now - even a quick conversation can be a helpful learning experience for your child.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach social skills?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Social Skills at Home - Child Mind Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're stuck at home, how can you help your child maintain and build upon the social skills they'll need to interact successfully with peers?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jump to:

We've brought together some of our favourite ideas that support fearless writing that parents can use to help children write at home.

Whether it's unlocking their imagination, or perfecting their craft, we've got something for everyone!

How to encourage writing at home

Sometimes the toughest part of writing is knowing where to start. In our sessions, our expert English tutors begin by discussing experiences that can spark children's imagination; encouraging the children to make notes of the ideas that they like. Inspiration can come from anywhere - whether it's something that you saw on your daily walk, a show, photos from a special day or reading at home.

Here are some ideas on getting started with writing at home...

Set SMART writing goals

Encouraging your child to set a SMART goal for their writing can help to motivate and inspire them to get started. Whether it's finishing a story with a clear plot by the end of the school year or writing for 10 minutes every day, make sure their goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

Make a schedule

Once you've set a goal together, you could plan out some time each day or week to dedicate to writing. Children often thrive on routine, so practising at a regular time can help them to keep up the habit. Regular schedule can also contribute to good self-care for children!

That's not to say that spontaneous writing is off the cards! All children learn differently, and if a flexible approach works best for your child, then go for it.

Create a writing corner

Environment can play a key part in encouraging your child to write more at home. Why not try creating a cosy writing corner for them to practice writing skills?

Ideally, this writing space should be quiet, comfortable and well lit. Have writing supplies (including notepads, pens, pencils, post-it notes and crayons) to hand as well as creative prompts such as magazines, pictures or toys.

A desk and chair that is the right size can also encourage better handwriting and good posture.

List ideas

Next, encourage your child to make a note of any ideas that come to mind (this is a crucial part of helping your child write at home). No idea is a bad idea at this stage! Some techniques to help idea inspiration include;

Plan and plot

For story or report writing, it helps to have a plan in place. Try using post-it notes to help them plan out a storyline to create the most exciting sequence of events.

Be prepared

Writing can happen anywhere in the house (or even in the garden). Placing notepads and pens around your home can be handy for when inspiration strikes!

How to encourage reluctant writers

Reluctant writers (and reluctant readers) might need a little more encouragement or a change of approach. Getting to the root of why they don't enjoy writing could help you to find new ways to motivate them. For example, it could be something they find challenging that's stopping them from writing creatively. It may be that extra English tutoring support is needed to tackle these weaker areas and improve their confidence.

Keep things interesting by writing in different ways;

How to encourage writing in early years

For young children, we recommend turning writing activities into games and working in short, manageable bursts to keep their attention switched on.

Ensuring they are comfortable with the foundations of writing (forming letters, motor skills and simple sentence structure) is key, before moving on to more advanced activities.

How to practice writing skills at home

Explore some tips and ideas to improve their writing process from home...

Imitate

This is the process that teacher Pie Corbett coined when supporting children to write. Notice that it starts with 'imitate' - this means that it's okay for children to stick closely to ideas that they've seen before or that you have discussed together when they are getting started with their writing.

Remember - no great author ever wrote a book that was perfect the first time around! It's okay to give them help coming up with ideas, discuss the use of vocabulary, new grammar and story techniques. Talk about and make note of any words, techniques or ideas they want to use; it's easier for children to reflect these ideas in their writing. By imitating first, they gain the confidence and competence to move on to more original writing. Learn more about tips for young writers from our conversation with David Walliams!

Innovate

Innovate comes next. Try reading out what your child has written together, then decide on one thing you could improve to make their writing skills even better.

If you're looking at descriptive writing, have you used all five senses to set the scene? If your child has just learnt about similes, have you tried introducing a metaphor too? Check the variation in their style of writing, could you amend the sentence structure?

Make sure to give your child lots of encouragement for trying new things. By challenging them little by little, you will naturally encourage your child's sense of perseverance.

Invent

When their ideas are flowing and they are excited by their own imagination, let them invent! Remember that inventors are people who experiment, make a mess, and succeed by a trial and learn approach. Cressida Cowell, the author of 'How to Train Your Dragon', supports this sentiment saying, "children are the most creative people on earth because they don't know the rules yet!"

It's important not to discourage a child from writing because they haven't got it all right - you improve through practice, not by doing things perfectly the first time. The more you can celebrate and encourage creativity, the more fearless your child will be when practising creative writing.

Reading and writing combined

Reading plays a huge part in helping children to learn the structure of stories and magpie ideas. One of the tools we use in our online tuition is Compass. It contains hundreds of short stories to help inspire young authors. Lots of great stories have been inspired by other authors' books. Encourage your children to read lots and take ideas to mould into their own masterpieces.

Top tips for writing at home

Encouraging children to hone their writing skills can be both a fun and educational endeavour. Here are some great tips to inspire your children, ensuring they do not only know how to practice writing skills at home but also find joy and satisfaction in the process.

Start writing early: Encourage all forms of writing from a young age. It's okay if stories don't get finished - the key is regular practice and creativity. If your child is struggling to start writing, suggest some creative ways they can start - do they want a new toy? Suggest they write a short paragraph on why they want it and how it's going to bring them joy!

Foster a love for reading: Share books together. Reading for pleasure can spark your child's imagination and show them the value of stories.

Write about what you know: If creating characters is proving to be challenging, suggest writing about familiar people or even their favourite characters from media. It's a great place to start and practice writing skills, as well as storytelling!

Praise generously: Celebrate every achievement, big or small. Tailor your encouragement to their individual efforts and progress. Which brings us to the next step!

Use rewards effectively: Clearly define rewards for their writing efforts. This can help motivate them to concentrate and do their best.

Don't stress over grammar (at first!): Focus on the joy of expressing ideas creatively. Worrying too much about grammar can stifle their imagination. If your child is struggling with grammar, however, Explore Learning's English Tuition can help!

Keep writing sessions short: Aim for brief, frequent writing activities. Knowing there's a set time can motivate them to focus and engage more with their writing, encouraging them to practice their writing skills effectively.

Writing activities at home

Now we've talked about writing techniques and tips for writing at home, here are some practical and fun writing activities to put them into practice!

Write a book or film review

Why not try writing a review of a great book, film or TV programme you have read/watched together recently? Learning to write in lots of different formats and styles will put them in good stead for school.

Describe a picture in words

The wonderful thing about this activity is that there are so many resources you can use that are lying around the house! Whether it's a photo of family members, a picture in a magazine or a painting on the wall - ask your child to describe it in words. They could even write a story based on the image.

Describe everyday objects

Point to objects around the house and experiment by getting them to describe them as creatively as possible. This can be great practice for using alliteration, metaphors and similies.

Write a diary or journal

Writing a personal diary not only helps to get children into the habit of writing, but is also a great way of letting out emotions and making sense of their world. The act of writing down their thoughts, feelings and observations each day could help them get more comfortable with writing, and connect them with their own ideas.

Create an instruction manual

Maybe it's working the TV or giving instructions on how to bake a cake - mix up their writing practice with different formats.

Pick a word of the week

As a family, choose a word to focus on each week. Then everyone can have a go with using it in their writing in increasingly creative ways. The more peculiar the word - the funnier this activity can be!

Write a poem, song or a play

For little creatives, or for children who view writing as 'boring', writing practice can be disguised in the form of creating a poem, song or play. The motivation can be performing their piece once it's finished!

Write letters

Letter writing is an important skill. If they are passionate about a social issue, you could encourage them to write a powerful letter to their MP. Or, you could try setting them up with a pen pal in another country for a culture exchange. If that's out of reach, writing letters to friends, family or even imaginary strangers works too.

Write together

Why not try writing a story together - one paragraph at a time. This can also be a fun game for them to play with friends, especially when the story escalates into a wild and wacky adventure! Think the consequences game but with writing instead of pictures.

Everyday writing

Task your child with being your 'writer' for the day. Be it shopping lists, reminders or emails - giving them a sense of responsibility can help to motivate them to write.

Remember, that writing is supposed to be fun! If you're looking for writing activities outside the home, consider participating in events like the World Book Day, which celebrates authors and readers alike!

Support for writing: Resources for parents and children

Still stuck? Take a look at our video and downloadable activities for more great tips on writing at home.

Sorry, we don't have any centres within {{distance}} miles

Results from outside {{distance}} miles

Showing {{count}} closest to '{{postcode}}'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How parents can help with writing at home | Explore Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With our writing guide, parents can find out how to encourage children to write at home, helping them practice their writing skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get advice on reading to children, how to read aloud, encouraging older children to read and helping reluctant readers with exciting, page-turning books. We also have useful leaflets full of tips and advice for you to download and tips for carers and foster families.

# data[].attributes.headline
A single place for Suffolk parents or carers to find parenting advice and support to help their child's development.

# data[].attributes.subject
A single place for Suffolk parents or carers to find parenting advice and support to help their child's development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A single place for Suffolk parents or carers to find parenting advice and support to help their child's development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact [email protected].

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Writing is a terrific way for children to express their thoughts, creativity, and uniqueness. It is also a fundamental way in which children learn to organize ideas and helps them to be better readers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We appreciate that many of your are trying to support children as writers while they are at home. We have created the following home resource to help and it's been produced using the findings from our own Writing For Pleasure research ( Young 2019).

Please share this resource widely. Send it to friends, family, parents, teachers and anyone else you think could benefit. Let's help families to be together, write together and share together!

You may also want to read:

Activities to get everyone writing at home. [LINK]

Talk and write about the good old days

Find your spark with a spark line

Do some dabbling while you watch the tele

Nature poems on the pavement

Interview someone over the phone

How parent-teacher Billy Bean is teaching is three, six and seven year old around his kitchen table using our resource. [LINK]

How writer-teacher Tobias Hayden is teaching Writing For Pleasure during lockdown. [LINK]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We appreciate that many of your are trying to support children as writers while they are at home. We have created the following home resource to help and it's been produced using the findings from our own Writing For Pleasure research (Young 2019). download Please share this resource widely.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Follow this advice to help primary-aged children read at home. There's further resources available online at Online education resources: English resources.

1. Encourage your child to read

Reading helps your child's wellbeing, develops imagination and has educational benefits too. Just a few minutes a day can have a big impact on children of all ages.

2. Read aloud regularly

Try to read to your child every day. It's a special time to snuggle up and enjoy a story. Stories matter and children love re-reading them and poring over the pictures. Try adding funny voices to bring characters to life.

3. Encourage reading choice

Give children lots of opportunities to read different things in their own time - it doesn't just have to be books. There's fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, magazines, recipes and much more. Try leaving interesting reading material in different places around the home and see who picks it up.

4. Read together

Choose a favourite time to read together as a family and enjoy it. This might be everyone reading the same book together, reading different things at the same time, or getting your children to read to each other. This time spent reading together can be relaxing for all.

5. Create a comfortable environment

Make a calm, comfortable place for your family to relax and read independently - or together.

6. Make use of your local library

Libraries in England are able to open from 4 July, so visit them when you're able to and explore all sorts of reading ideas. Local libraries also offer brilliant online materials, including audiobooks and ebooks to borrow. See Libraries Connected for more digital library services and resources.

7. Talk about books

This is a great way to make connections, develop understanding and make reading even more enjoyable. Start by discussing the front cover and talking about what it reveals and suggests the book could be about. Then talk about what you've been reading and share ideas. You could discuss something that happened that surprised you, or something new that you found out. You could talk about how the book makes you feel and whether it reminds you of anything.

8. Bring reading to life

You could try cooking a recipe you've read together. Would you recommend it to a friend? Alternatively, play a game where you pretend to be the characters in a book, or discuss an interesting article you've read.

9. Make reading active

Play games that involve making connections between pictures, objects and words, such as reading about an object and finding similar things in your home. You could organise treasure hunts related to what you're reading. Try creating your child's very own book by using photos from your day and adding captions.

10. Engage your child in reading in a way that suits them

You know your child best and you'll know the best times for your child to read. If they have special educational needs and disabilities ( SEND) then short, creative activities may be the way to get them most interested. If English is an additional language, encourage reading in a child's first language, as well as in English. What matters most is that they enjoy it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 top tips for parents to support children to read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Follow this advice to help primary-aged children read at home. There's further resources available online at Online education resources: English resources. Reading helps your child's wellbeing, develops imagination and has educational benefits too. Just a few minutes a day can have a big impact on children of all ages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Common types of behaviour in autistic children

Some autistic children may behave in ways that put a lot of strain on you and your family.

You may hear health professionals call some behaviours "challenging".

These behaviours include:

stimming - a kind of repetitive behaviour

meltdowns - a complete loss of control over behaviour

Some autistic children can also be physically or verbally aggressive. Their behaviour can be harmful to themselves or other people.

But remember, all autistic children are different and not every day will be challenging or stressful.

Why these behaviours happen

Many autistic children have difficulties with communication, which can affect their behaviour.

Some things that can cause these behaviours include:

being oversensitive to things like bright lights or loud noises

being undersensitive to things like touch or pain

anxiety, especially when routines suddenly change

not being able to make sense of what's going on around them

being unwell or in pain

These behaviours are not your or your child's fault.

Stimming

Stimming stands for "self-stimulating behaviour". It's a kind of repetitive behaviour.

Common stimming behaviours include:

rocking, jumping, spinning, head-banging

hand-flapping, finger-flicking, flicking rubber bands

repeating words, phrases or sounds

staring at lights or spinning objects

Stimming is usually harmless. It may look odd to others, but there's no need to stop it if it's not causing any problems for you or your child.

Ambitious about Autism has more on stimming and repetitive behaviours.

Meltdowns

Meltdowns are a complete loss of control caused by being totally overwhelmed.

If your child has a meltdown, the most important thing is to try to stay calm and keep them safe.

If you're worried your child might hurt themselves, try to hold them to keep them safe.

It's not always possible to prevent meltdowns, but there are some things you can do that may help.

These include:

letting your child wear headphones to listen to calming music

turning down or removing bright lights

planning ahead for any change in routine, such as a different route to school

It may help to keep a diary for a few weeks to see if you can spot any meltdown triggers that you can do something about.

The National Autistic Society has more on meltdowns.

Advice from other parents

If you need emotional support, call the National Autistic Society's Parent to Parent phone line on 0808 800 4106.

You can also get advice and help from support groups and online forums.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to help with your autistic child's behaviour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some autistic children may behave in ways that put a lot of strain on you and your family. You may hear health professionals call some behaviours "challenging". These behaviours include: stimming - a kind of repetitive behaviour meltdowns - a complete loss of control over behaviour Some autistic children can also be physically or verbally aggressive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Cambridgeshire County Council SEND Service 0-25

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cambridgeshire County Council's video 'Why I am rude' - a poem about our perception of 'behaviour'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building Social and Emotional Skills at Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
School classrooms are busy places where young children learn all sorts of things, including social and emotional skills such as how to express feelings and how to work together with friends on a project. Here are some suggestions for helping your child de

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Life with a Visual Impairment: Theo's Story | BBC Teach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On this page, you'll find information on a wide range of issues that are important to blind and partially sighted young people.

School life and planning ahead

Our school life and planning ahead section covers choosing subjects, exams and study skills, after-school clubs and activities as well as how to start planning for life after school and moving on to college or work.

Leaving home

Moving out of home for the first time? Whether you are off to college or university or just taking those first steps to living independently, we can help you get prepared. You will find information on getting around and developing mobility skills as well as money management and learning useful cooking tips from students!

Starting college

If you are thinking about going to college then have a look at our starting college section. Find information on choosing the right college for you, what support is available at college and funding advice. You will also find useful study tips and hear about other student's experiences of starting college.

Starting university

There are lots to think about before going to university. You need to find the right course, get clear on application processes and it's handy to know where you can get financial help. Read on and you will discover lots of practical support for anything from choosing the right university and funding advice to how to make the most of student life!

Starting work

Starting work may seem daunting, but this section will help you to identify the people who can advise you about career choices, help with interview preparation, give guidance about work experience and volunteering and advise about the support mechanisms available, such as the Access to Work scheme.

Free time

Not sure what to do in your free time? Find ideas and inspiration and learn about what other young people are doing. From sports and hiking to reading and going to the cinema, there is something for everyone!

Transition guides

We've created handy guides for blind and partially sighted young people who are about to move into higher education and work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On this page, you'll find information on a wide range of issues that are important to blind and partially sighted young people. Our school life and planning ahead section covers choosing subjects, exams and study skills, after-school clubs and activities as well as how to start planning for life after school and moving on to college or work.