ABSTRACT
Effective and proactive relationships between parents and schools will usually be vital in achieving successful outcomes for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Parents might initially feel defensive when offered the opportunity to attend a parenting programme. They may feel it represents a criticism of their own efforts and judges them as failing parents. It is important, then, for teachers and SENCOs to reassure them: rearing children is never easy, and a child with ADHD poses a number of additional challenges which anyone might struggle with. How to manage children at home is a common question for SENCOs, and some parents of children with ADHD will try to apportion blame for any problems to teachers at the school. It will often be down to the SENCO to prevent them and us situation developing and to establish some consistency of approach between home and school. Parents should be encouraged to help other members of the family to recognise and understand the youngster's differences.
