Many children and adolescents with learning difficulties have been receiving multiple supports at school, at home and in medical, health or education organisations for a really long time. I am certainly one of the elements of this wheel of support. Whilst it is absolutely critical for children and adolescents to receive the help they need, there is also a very tiny window to be mindful of. Very quickly the learning environment can change from smooth sailing to complete refusal when the child or adolescent has simply had enough.
I wish I could provide a set of clear cut rules to help you spot this. Unfortunately human behaviour is not that simple. Parents know their children best and professionals with long-standing working relationships can observe changes in behaviour.
Essentially when learning has stalled and the child and adolescent is feeling less successful or confident at the end of a period of support, it is time for a quick break.
This doesn’t always mean a complete real from everything, it may simply be a break from the aspect of support where the behaviours have changed.
In my experience breaks in support can sometimes be exactly what is needed for a student to recharge. Unfortunately one of the aspects of this is sometimes the failure experienced during the time of support – realising that the support is needed is really important.
I recommend being honest and upfront with your child. Explain why you’re agreeing to a break. Identify a timeframe for this. Set an expectation for something that will be occurring during the time of the break.
Most importantly, trust your instincts – if it is time for a break please take it, but consider how well your child will be able to reintegrate into support again.
