Talking to your school or kinder about your child’s limb difference
Before you meet with the staff at your child’s kindergarten or school it’s a good idea to prepare a list of topics to discuss with them.
You may want to bring your own support person to that meeting for emotional or practical assistance.
Answer the questions listed below to prepare information about your child’s needs and ask how they will be met.
Topics for discussion
Limb difference information
- What type of limb difference does your child have?
- How does your child feel about it?
- What medical and health professionals are working with your child and family?
Amputation information
- How did the amputation occur?
- How is your child coping since the amputation?
- What medical and health professionals are working with your child and family?
School attendance
- Will it be full- or part-time?
- If it is part-time when do you expect your child will move into full-time schooling?
Rests and breaks
- Will your child need extra rest periods during school hours?
- How will the school monitor and manage rest periods?
School modifications
- Does the school need to make any modifications to accommodate your child’s accessibility needs and equipment use (e.g. wheelchair, crutches, prosthetic limb)?
- Are the classrooms and toilets accessible?
- Are there any steps or stairs that may affect your child’s ability to access parts of the school?
- Will the computers accommodate a single-handed keyboard or specific programs if your child has an upper limb difference?
Pain management
- Does your child take any pain medication and, if so, what dosage?
- How often do medications need to be given and how will this be managed at school?
- How do you give consent to the school to administer medication?
Assistance
- Will your child need help moving from one classroom to another?
- Does your child need help to carry their bags, books or technology?
- Does your child need help with eating?
- Does your child need help with toileting?
Transport
- If your child has limited mobility, are there special school drop-off and pick-up zones?
Absences and curriculum
- How will any absence from school (e.g. to attend medical appointments) affect your child’s learning?
- How can your child ‘catch-up’ when away from the classroom?
Communicating with peers
- How would you like your child to discuss their limb difference/s with other students?
- How can students be assisted to understand your child’s limb difference positively?
Individual plan
- Does the school need to develop an individual plan for your child, which reflects that they live with a limb difference?