Amendment to original motion submitted by Hughenden Branch
“That ICPA Qld lobbies relevant stakeholders’ for a resource for parents which outlines support available for students with specific needs of steps to prepare for boarding school, adjustments that can be made for the student and key professionals to engage.”
Parents of neurodiverse students often struggle to find clear guidance on preparing their child for boarding school, leading to uncertainty and stress. A dedicated resource outlining essential steps, support options, and available professionals would provide families with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
By advocating for a dedicated parental support resource, ICPA Qld can help support families through the unfamiliar territory that comes with selecting a suitable school for their neurodiverse child and transitioning a neurodiverse child to the boarding school environment.
Case Study
Navigating the boarding school selection process for my neurodiverse son, was an isolating and overwhelming experience. Despite his enthusiasm for boarding life, we faced multiple roadblocks—schools hesitant to provide adequate support, rejections due to initial adjustment difficulties, and even the inability to secure an interview at some institutions. AS parents, we were left feeling lost, unsure of the next steps, and without a clear path forward. Distance Education, while an option, did not provide the social and cognitive stimulation he needed, reinforcing our commitment to finding a suitable school. However, we lacked the necessary guidance—there was no central resource to explain available supports, recommended preparations, or reasonable accommodations schools could make to aid in the transition.
We reached out to professionals, including our son's paediatrician, only to find that the only solution they could offer was medication to ease his mounting anxiety. Without a structured framework to follow, we spent thousands of dollars on medical and psychological interventions to support Dustin’s mental wellbeing, a cost that could have been mitigated had we had access to the right information earlier in the process. Had there been a dedicated resource outlining the steps for transitioning a neurodiverse student to boarding school, including available supports, necessary adjustments, and key professionals to engage, our experience would have been far less daunting. Parents of neurodiverse children should not have to navigate this journey alone, uncertain of what accommodations they can request or how best to advocate for their child’s success.
