3. Support pathways for students with [un]diagnosed ADHD

3.3 Sharing information about students who may have ADHD or wellbeing concerns

Follow the process your school has for accessing support.

First, you might share the information by discussing it with your teaching team, teaching team leader, or school counsellor.​

Or your school process may require you to talk to a learning support coordinator or Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) first.

It is likely that you will need to discuss some or all of the following:

  1. your concerns and what you think needs to happen
  2. the strengths of your student and how to build on them
  3. addressing any contributing factors, and
  4. the required level of response.

Meet with the whānau of the student to share information and find out more

A whānau knows their child best. An important step is discussing the information you have gathered and your observations. The whānau will have information about their child which can be extremely helpful. It will help you to talk to them as soon as possible. Approach every meeting with the whānau as an opportunity for whakawhānaungatanga (establishing a relationship). 

Hear Kim Anketell describe how she shares information with whānau (3.5 mins)

This is provided for educational purposes only. ADHD NZ does not provide medical advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. A GP can recommend a suitable healthcare professional.​

Kim Anketell

Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)

Bio: Kim's roles in education vary from teacher to associate principal to RTLB. She has worked alongside and participated on Boards of Trustees as an educator and senior leader to ensure the high quality of education is maintained and that staff have all the resources they need to accomplish this goal.

For more advice on building relationships with whānau, see:

Sometimes, when a concern arises that requires extra support, there may be another staff member whom the whānau knows and trusts to support them during conversations, meetings, and planning. The manaakitanga (respect) and tautoko (support) from senior staff benefit some conversations.

Your school may have an English Language Learner or English as a Second Language (ESOL) teacher who is the first point of contact for whānau from a refugee or immigrant background.​

Share what you have noticed:

Begin the conversation with something your student is doing well at school, e.g.:

  • “Maia is doing a great job of unpacking her bag in the morning and putting her fruit in her tray.”

Describe what you have noticed, e.g.:

  • "I notice Maia often finds it hard to get started or concentrate on her learning. She appears to be watching and listening when I give instructions, but she looks unsure how to start. If I show her what to do, she will start but then looks lost, like she has forgotten what to do."

Ask if they have noticed the same or if they have any concerns, e.g.:

  • “How is Maia at home? When you ask her to do something, does she manage? 
  • "All students develop at their own pace, and some take time to develop their focus and concentration skills. Do you have any concerns about her focus or concentration?"

Acknowledging the knowledge the whānau has of your student helps to build trust and opportunities for collaboration:

  • tell them what you particularly like or appreciate about their child, and then ask them to share the strengths and needs of their child
  • listen attentively to their contributions to demonstrate your interest in their knowledge
  • let them know about options for support at school and explain the response the school is recommending.

Hear Kim Anketell share her experience of whānau/school collaboration to support a student with ADHD at school (3.2 mins)

This is provided for educational purposes only. ADHD NZ does not provide medical advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. A GP can recommend a suitable healthcare professional.​

Kim Anketell

Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)

Bio: 

​​​​​​​​Kim's roles in education vary from teacher to associate principal to RTLB. She has worked alongside and participated on Boards of Trustees as an educator and senior leader to ensure the high quality of education is maintained and that staff have all the resources they need to accomplish this goal.

Getting mental health and wellbeing support for your student

If your student has been diagnosed with ADHD, let their parents know you have noticed a behaviour change in their child. A contrubuting factor may be the diminishing impact of their medication due to a growth spurt. Asking the parents if they have noticed any change and potentially having a medication review can be really helpful. It might be impacting the ability of their child to learn, so it would be worth their while to make an appointment to discuss it.

Alternatively, if the parents/caregiver have not told the school about their child getting diagnosed with ADHD, or they are yet to get an assessment, you could:

  • suggest their child is showing characteristics of attentional difficulties, and
  • recommend that they make an appointment with their GP or more direct with a private specialist (paediatrician, clinical psychologist, psychiatrist or neurologist) who is able to assess and diagnose ADHD in children.

You can also:

You may want to provide them with a copy of the ADHD NZ leaflet "A parent’s and carer’s guide to understanding ADHD"

complete the Snap-IV 26: Teacher and Parenting Rating Scale.

  1. If their child lives in a two-parent household, print a copy for each parent (to gain different perspectives).
  2. If they live in more than one household, print a copy for the households their child lives in regularly, e.g. separated parents or grandparents.
  3. Give the whānau copies to complete at home and ask them to take these copies with them to the general practice appointment.
  4. Provide a copy for the teacher of their child to complete at school

complete the School Support for Health and Wellbeing Assessment Form.

  • The General Practitioner can build a clinical picture of the needs, strengths, and challenges your student has, with this form (below). 
  • Information from your school is valuable for supporting decisions around appropriate interventions, further assessments, and involvement of community or specialised services.
  • With consent from the whānau, upload the form and the copy of the rating scale from the teacher to the general practice via ERMS Online, along with your observations checklist and interval recording data.

offer to connect the whānau with the public health nursing service through your school if they seem unlikely to make an appointment or need support to see a general practice team.

If they want to meet your local public health nurse, you can initiate this by completing a referal form.

On receipt of a referral, the service:

  • writes to both the referrer and the whānau to confirm receipt, and
  • makes contact with the whānau within two to three weeks to arrange an assessment and develop a nursing care plan.

You are 43% of the way through eLearning module: 3. Signs that students with [un]diagnosed ADHD are struggling at school.