This page outlines how education staff, care services, parents, guardians, and health professionals work together to manage a child or student with ADHD in education and care settings.

About ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuro-developmental disorder, which affects a person’s ability to use age-appropriate self-control.

It is characterised by patterns of inattentive, impulsive, and sometimes hyperactive behaviour.

Find out more about the types of ADHD behaviour.

Health support plans and agreements

If the child or student has ADHD, the education or care service should refer to health support planning for children and students in education and care settings to ensure that the appropriate plans and agreements are in place. This is in addition to the ADHD-specific plans and agreements listed on this page.

Behavioural support strategies for children and teachers

Educational adjustments

Educational adjustments support students on an individualised basis. Adjustments should be determined by the parents and education and care service and documented in the health support agreement.

Examples of adjustments may include:

• working on difficult concepts in the morning
• developing creative presentations of course material
• having games that develop working memory as part of the daily routine
• interoception activities in the daily routine, especially prior to complex tasks.

Visit classroom accommodations to help students with ADHD to learn more adjustment strategies.

Training and education for staff

Further information for education and care staff is available at Positive Partnerships and Student Wellbeing Hub.

How parents and caregivers can help

Parents or guardians must:

• notify the school, preschool or care service if their child has ADHD
• complete health care plans and agreements with their health care professionals and provide them to the school, preschool or care service
• provide required medication to the school, preschool or care service.

If a medication agreement is in place, parents and caregivers must fulfil the roles and responsibilities outlined on the medication management and care page.

How health professionals can help

Health professionals support schools, preschools, care services and families by helping to develop the care plan and any supporting medication and care agreements.