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SEND - TImbertree Academy - Cradley Heath

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Special Education Needs information at Timbertree Academy

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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Mical (2020) | OFFICIAL FILM | Dyslexia Film

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Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities.

Mathematics difficulties are best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and they have many causal factors. Dyscalculia falls at one end of the spectrum and will be distinguishable from other maths issues due to the severity of difficulties with number sense, including subitising, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison, and ordering. It can occur singly but often co-occurs with other specific learning difficulties, mathematics anxiety and medical conditions.

(BDA Definition)

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Dyscalculia - British Dyslexia Association

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What is Dyscalculia? Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with...

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood is the leading nonprofit empowering the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences in the United States.

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How can we help?

I want help with behaviors , learning , and everyday skills

We are Understood.
We are the lifelong guide for those who learn and think differently. In the past year, we've helped more than 20 million people discover their potentials, take control of their lives, and stay on positive paths.

We support the 1 in 5 Americans who learn and think differently.

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We believe difference is our greatest strength.

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When we shape the world for difference, we all thrive.

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Discover what's possible when you're understood.

We'll email you our most helpful stories and resources.

We just launched our "Be the Reason" stigma campaign. Learn more here.

Helpful guidance from Understood

Essential resource spotlight

Are you wondering why your child is struggling?

We're here to help if you're feeling overwhelmed. Take N.O.T.E. (Notice. Observe. Talk. Engage.) is a simple step-by-step tool that can help you figure out if the struggles you're seeing might be signs of a learning and thinking difference.

"I have a hard time focusing, mostly in school. When I do my homework, I kind of feel stressed out because it feels like so much even though it's not too much."

Emperor Kaioyus, Grade 4

Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Understood - For Learning and Thinking Differences

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Understood.org is the resource that helps the 70 million people with learning and thinking differences anticipate the challenges, barriers, or opportunities in life and confidently reach their potential.

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NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

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Understanding and Supporting My Child's ADHD

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Understanding and Supporting My Child's ADHD

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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.

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ADHD Support For Your Child | Parents Advice Guide

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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.

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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This section is full of books for reluctant and dyslexic readers. These books are by the fantastic publisher Barrington Stoke.

Unique, dyslexia-friendly font specially created to make reading easier

Accessible layouts and spacing stop the page from becoming overcrowded

Heavier paper with a gentle tint helps reduce visual stresses

Award-winning authors ensure well-written texts with plenty to engage and discuss

Bestselling names that readers will recognise and their friends already love

Award-winning illustrators help bring the stories to life and aid comprehension

Expertly edited to ensure unnecessary words don't hinder comprehension while the text will still challenge the reader

Lots of illustration to break up the text and keep the story moving

Short, sharp, unpatronising content matched to the age of the reader not their reading level

These books are heavily discounted to just £3.99 for Little Gems and £4.99 for all other titles. . a great investment for children who struggle with reading. Find out more about dyslexia books here

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Heavily discounted Barrington Stoke books, no coupon or minimum spend required. These amazing books are perfect for dyslexic and reluctant readers.

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Free Homeschool Materials

At Nessy, we believe families that home educate should be supported with effective evidence-based teaching materials.

Nessy's digital based programs make it possible to get Science of Reading and Structured Literacy teaching, anywhere in the world.

The founder of Nessy, Mike Jones, was taught to read at home by his mother (Pat Jones OBE) after he failed to learn at school. In 2019, the short film MiCAL was made about their story.

Nessy began as a home education program in 1977. To support our roots, we have decided to provide families with a portfolio of free materials to help teach children at home.

Watch for our annual home education bulk buy for parents, enabling families that home educate to come together and get huge bulk discounts on valuable programs! ​​​​​​​

Follow us on Facebook for more information.

Looking for free educational teaching videos that help kids with phonics, spelling, grammar and time tables? Subscribe to our YouTube Channels.

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We believe families that home educate should be supported with effective evidence-based teaching materials. Find our helpful teaching materials here!

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The Down’s Syndrome Association are here to support and walk along life’s journey with both old and young people living with Down’s Syndrome.

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Down Syndrome UK is a national charity passionate about empowering parents and professionals to improve the lives of those with Down syndrome.

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My friend has Downs Syndrome - Children's PowerPoint

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My friend has Downs Syndrome - Children's PowerPoint

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Movement videos linked to emotions, self esteem, empathy etc

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Movement videos linked to emotions, self esteem, empathy etc

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Moodboosters | Free primary school mental health resources - BBC Teach

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Fun videos and resources for the PSHE curriculum to inspire KS1 / KS2 pupils to get moving for mental health and wellbeing.

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Look out for webinars and information!

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Autism West Midlands | Supporting the Autistic Community

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We use our passion and expertise to enrich the lives of people on the autism spectrum and those who care for them.

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Advice and support from SENDIASS

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Sandwell’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS)

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Sensory activities to try at home with your children

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Giving kids the freedom to be messy is not only good fun, it can help develop their hand-eye coordination and basic motor skills, too. Toddlers especially take great pleasure from exploring tactile objects - anything involving bright colours, unusual textures and satisfying sounds is bound to be a hit!

These projects for sensory play are all easy to prepare, budget-friendly and use everyday items that you're likely to already have at home. They're all child-safe, although adult supervision during play is always recommended.

Need extra ideas for keeping the kids entertained? Discover even more with our activities for kids guide.

Top 10 sensory play ideas

1. Colourful spaghetti

Cook a batch of spaghetti, then divide it between bowls and add different food colouring to each one. Mix well, and soon you'll have a whole rainbow of squidgy 'worms' for toddlers to play with.

2. Blowing bubbles

Mix one part washing-up liquid with six parts water to make your own homemade bubble mixture. If you don't have store-bought wands, have fun finding your own versions. Can the children make their bubbles using a biscuit cutter, paperclip or colander?

3. Pom-pom sorting

Create a simple matching game to teach little ones about colour. Find a pack of readymade pom-poms in your local craft shop, or get an older sibling to help make a pom-pom using wool. Draw coloured circles onto a large sheet of paper, then help your toddler to sort the different pom-poms into the right colour groups.

4. Ice block treasure hunt

Freeze small toys inside a block of ice and older kids can excavate their very own artefacts! Put a few toys, such as dinosaurs, in the bottom of a container, then partly fill with water and freeze; repeat until full. Provide children's tools or cutlery and help them bash into the ice.

5. Play with slime

Our simple recipe for edible slime is perfect for toddlers - it's safe enough for them to put in their mouth to explore the texture, but we'd advise against making a meal of it! Combine cornflour, icing sugar and coconut milk with your choice of food colouring to make your own squidgy slime at home.

6. Make a mud kitchen

If they're old enough to stand, explore our mud kitchen ideas for some messy creative play. Provide some old pots, spoons and plastic bowls for them to mix together their own weird and wonderful concoctions from the garden.

7. Rainbow rice

To make your own brightly coloured rice, put about a cup (185g) of any dried rice with your choice of gel food colouring in a container. Add ½ tsp vinegar to the rice - this stops the dye from transferring - then put the lid on and shake well to mix. Spread the rice out in a thin layer on a baking sheet to dry for 2-3 hours before using.

8. Homemade playdough

Raid the kitchen cupboards and follow our easy playdough recipe - you'll soon have a tactile diversion that can be used time and time again. Provide some different tools to help your child engage with it, such as plastic biscuit cutters, silicone ice cube trays, small rolling pins or travel cups.

9. Make some maracas

If you don't mind a little bit of noise, learn how to make maracas and your toddler will love discovering a new sound sensation! You can either use plastic spoons and an old toy egg, or cardboard tubes to make triangular versions.

10. Fake snow

There's no need to wait for Christmas to make a snowman! Learn how to make fake snow using just three ingredients. Young children will love squishing together this 'snow' to make clumps and snowballs for a winter scene. You can add a few drops of food colouring for a summertime version - be sure to add the colour before the water to achieve the right consistency.

Discover more fun activities for kids
How to make potato stamps
What are your favourite sensory play ideas? Let us know in the comments below... How to make paper mache
How to make a bath bomb
15 of the best indoor activities for kids
Or visit our Family & Kids hub for recipe inspiration, expert guides, videos and more.

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Giving kids the freedom to be messy is not only good fun, it can help develop their hand-eye coordination and basic motor skills, too. Toddlers especially take great pleasure from exploring tactile objects - anything involving bright colours, unusual textures and satisfying sounds is bound to be a hit!

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Information about referring to Speech and Language in Sandwell.

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Family Information Service Hub | FASTA (Faster Access to Sandwell Therapy Assessment)

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FASTA is the referral service to make an appointment for a child to see an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist or Speech and Language Therapist. Therapies Booking Service - 0121 612 2010 for all first appointments Referrals may be instigated by professionals but parents must make the phone call to make the appointment. Opening times for appointment line: Monday to Wednesday: 8.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-4pmThursday 9am-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm(Please note the service is closed for lunch between 12.30-1.30pm) During school holidays:Monday to Wednesday: 8.30am-12.30pmThursday: 9am-12pm

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Helping children handle upset.

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Free Resources for Parents

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Conscious Discipline Excels in Analysis of Top 25 Social Emotional Learning Programs

Compared to 25 other SEL programs, Conscious Discipline (CD) is one of only three programs that focuses three-quarters or more of their content on Emotional Processes (specifically Emotion Knowledge/Expression and Emotion/Behavior Regulation) and one of 13 programs that focuses more than half their program content on Interpersonal Skills. In comparing key components of SEL programs, CD received high ratings in 8 of 10 categories.
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NEW: Join Dr. Becky Bailey for a 10-Session Online Course

NEW: Join Dr. Becky Bailey for a 10 Session Online Course Life-changing skills at the click of a button! Our self-paced online course delivers everything you need to decrease problem behaviors, power struggles, impulsivity and aggression, while increasing resilience, self-regulation, emotional health and overall achievement. Conscious Discipline is a leader in brain-based, trauma-informed social-emotional learning. Dr. Becky Bailey, the founder of Conscious Discipline, will guide you through the program's core methodology in this intensive course that delivers 10+ hours of experiential learning, digital extras and video FAQs. We've designed this life-changing e-course for all those who come in contact with children, especially educators, parents and mental health professionals. You provide the willingness to change; we'll provide the skills you need to make that change a reality!
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Sign up to access FREE printables, digital resources, tools and content or upgrade to a Premium Resource Toolkit to access audio teaching, games and more.

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Social stories to help children with Autism

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Social stories and comic strip conversations

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Find out more about social stories and comic strip conversations, and how they can help autistic people communicate.

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Try a Sensory Circuit at home!

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Autism Support and Resources - Witherslack Group

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A library of free autism support & resources created by SEN professionals, for parents & carers supporting children with autism.

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ADHD Support and Resources | Witherslack - Witherslack Group

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A library of free ADHD support & resources created by SEN professionals, for parents & carers supporting children with ADHD.

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Speech and Language | Special Educational Needs

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A library of free speech & language resources & support created by SEN professionals, for parents & carers supporting children with speech & language disorders.