CHILDLINE : It's important every child and young person gets the support they need at school, at home and in public

Everyone’s brain is unique too, and it’s natural for our brains to have differences – this is known as neurodiversity.

This could mean young people experience difficulties with reading, working with numbers or attention, with varying symptoms. But it’s important that every child and young person gets all the support they need at school, at home and in public, so it’s important we all have an understanding of what this means.

Regardless of a person’s neurodiversity, they are entitled to support at their school, at home and should never be treated worse or discriminated against.

Schools and teachers can help find ways of supporting their schoolwork and can help a child to identify their strengths to aid with learning and they may even be able to carry out an assessment to give an indication of whether a child has dyslexia. They could also assist you and your child with getting a diagnostic assessment.

At home, it is vital that children are supported and can speak freely, without judgement, about their worries. This will not only help them but give you a much better understanding of their needs – which may change over time. Talking openly may also help them to build confidence and feel happier about themselves.

They may find it difficult to express how they’re feeling or talk about it, and we have lots of resources on the Childline website which they may find helpful if that’s the case.

The Toolbox page, for example, offers support for coping with mental health and expressing creativity. Young people could use our online mood journal to record how they’re feeling, while the Calm Zone offers an online space for relaxing when things become overwhelming. There are also yoga and breathing exercises as well as ‘ways to cope’ videos.

Childline is here for any child or young person no matter the worry or concern. They can speak to our counsellors on 0800 1111 or online at www.childline.org.uk