Supporting children with ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect children's learning and social skills, and the way a family functions. If your child has ADHD, there are many great ways to support them. Every child is different; some need help in the school classroom, while others can focus at school but benefit from behaviour rewards systems at home. Working with your child’s individual needs will set them up for success.

Take a neuroaffirming approach

Rather than framing your child’s ADHD as a problem to fix, it is more helpful to recognise and celebrate their differences. This approach is called ‘neuroaffirming’ or ‘neuro-diversity-affirming'; it is the key to ensuring your child’s long-term mental health.

The neuroaffirming approach encourages you to:

• Understand and respect your child’s communication styles and sensory needs.
• Help your child advocate for themselves.
• Support your child to problem solve.
• Validate your child’s feelings and help them to recognise their triggers.
• Help your child to use safe and suitable self-regulation techniques such as stimming.
  • Stimming, or self-stimulating behaviours, are repetitive actions or sounds that can help people regulate their feelings – for example, tapping fingers or twirling hair.
• Use neurodiversity-affirming language.
  • For example, avoiding phrases that imply ADHD is bad, like ‘suffers from ADHD.’

Strategies to support children at school

When it comes to children with ADHD in school, it is best to take a multi-level approach. That means addressing the physical and cultural classroom environment, as well as collaborating with teachers and relevant health professionals to assist your child.

The following tips may help your child’s teachers to support your child in a school environment. You can also use many of them at home.

Giving instructions

Verbal

• Keep instructions brief and clear, and repeat them if required.
• Write the steps on the board.
• Say the child's name or gently tap them on the shoulder when giving important information.
• Ask children with ADHD to repeat instructions to check that they understand.
• Prompt, monitor, and engage children with ADHD to keep them focused on tasks.
  • They may need a movement break or help moving to the next step.

Written

• Highlight important points with asterisks (*), capital letters, or bold text.
• Limit the amount of information that children with ADHD need to copy from the board.
  • It is better to give handouts with key information.

School and classrooms

Cultural environment

• Make it clear that all brains are welcome in the classroom – neurotypical and neurodiverse.
• Set clear classroom rules and expectations.
• Maintain consistent routines.
• Observe children with ADHD for early signs that they are getting distracted.
  • For example, wriggling in their seat or chatting with their peers.
• Praise children with ADHD for positive or desired behaviours, such as staying quiet when the teacher is talking.

Physical environment

• Set designated seats, with a separate place for bags.
• Try to seat children with ADHD at the front of the class, near the teacher.
• Surround children with ADHD with peers who are good attention role models and less likely to be distracted.
  • For example, students who focus on their class work.
• Ensure children with ADHD can access items that help them focus their attention, such as a wobble cushion, fidget toys, and headphones (when appropriate).
• Let children with ADHD take regular movement breaks.
• Allow children with ADHD to leave five minutes early to get to their belongings first, before the bag area gets crowded.

Collaboration and communication

• Plan regular meetings to talk about the goals for a child with ADHD and monitor their progress.
• Outline strategies in Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or Behaviour Support Plans (IBPs).
• Read previous reports and recommendations.
• Use a home-school daily communication book with families of children with ADHD.
  • Record both positive and inappropriate behaviours using sensitive language.
• Foster a sense of safety and trust by helping children with ADHD to feel connected, supported, and understood.

Learning techniques

• Get to know the interests and strengths of children with ADHD.
  • They are often motivated by tasks that are engaging and novel.
  • Use the PINCH approach to learning:
    • P = Play and passion. Infuse learning with play and passions. For example, teach new math concepts using games.
    • I = Interest. Focus on interesting tasks and link learning with a child’s interests. For example, if a young child loves animals, use animal toys to explain new concepts.
    • N = Novelty. Introduce new or exciting elements to keep children engaged. For example, teach students outside of the classroom sometimes.
    • C = Challenge and cooperation. Create a sense of friendly competition through group challenges and progress tracking. For example, turn classroom clean-up into a race.
    • H = Hurry. Use urgency to increase engagement and motivation. For example, set time limits for learning activities.
• Break tasks down into smaller sections and check in after they finish each section.
• Provide clear, one-to-one instructions as often as possible.
• Schedule the most important learning for the best concentration time. This is usually in the morning.
• Give children with ADHD a checklist that lists what they need to do.
• Keep choices to a minimum. Instead, assign clear tasks.
• Consider pairing children with ADHD with a class buddy who they get along with. This can help reinforce instructions and directions.

Limiting over-activity and fatigue

• Build rest breaks into activities.
  • For example, have a five-minute break for every 30 minutes of activity.
• Prepare various low-pressure, fun activities for when children with ADHD need to spend time away from a task.
• Alternate academic work with brief physical tasks.
  • For example, after a child completes a written activity, they could walk around the classroom collecting work from other students.

Maintaining classroom routine

Children with ADHD respond well to routine and knowing what to expect.

• Keep classroom activities well organised and predictable.
  • If you know the schedule is going to change, tell children with ADHD beforehand.
• Warn children before activities are going to change.
  • For example, tell them that they will have to pack up in five minutes; then, remind them more than once before the five minutes are over.
• Display the daily schedule and classroom rules.
  • For example, stick a large, printed copy of the classroom rules on the wall.

Building self-esteem

Children with ADHD experience higher levels of negative feedback from adults and sometimes their peers. For example, if they cannot concentrate on a task, they may get in trouble for being lazy or naughty. This feedback can increase undesirable behaviours and impact their self-esteem.

• Language matters. Reframe traits of children with ADHD into positive terms, such as curious, creative, energetic, observant, and enthusiastic.
• Set achievable goals for children with ADHD and encourage them to do activities where they will succeed.
• Acknowledge the achievements of children with ADHD by congratulating them – both verbally and in written forms, such as certificates.
  • Near the end of the day, sit with them to review their accomplishments.
• Draw attention to the good parts of work from a child with ADHD.
  • For example, use a highlighter pen to mark the best sections of work.
• Help children with ADHD feel valued in the classroom.
  • Recognise their effort to do a task, not the result.
  • Give them tasks, such as handing out worksheets.
• Attend to learning difficulties as soon as possible to maintain self-confidence.

Strengthening social skills

Children with ADHD can find it hard to follow interactions with others, problem-solve in conversation, engage with peers, and regulate their emotions – all of which can impact their social skills.

• Teach children with ADHD appropriate responses when they feel challenged.
  • For example, instruct them to walk away or talk to the teacher.
• Children with ADHD may find it helpful to spend time with others in smaller groups of no more than two other children, instead of larger groups.
• Encourage children with ADHD to try structured activities, such as Scouts or sporting groups. If they prefer creative pursuits, they may enjoy drama classes or drawing.

Strategies to support children at home

Children with ADHD often have different support needs at home. Away from a school environment, they may need more guidance with positive behaviours. They often benefit from consistent routines and a calm environment.

As a parent, it can be tricky to juggle your own needs with those of your family members. Parenting a child with ADHD can impact stress, relationships, and household dynamics.

The advice below may help you support your child at home and draw your attention to the things that can have the most impact.

Homework and study

The skills required for homework and study are likely to be delayed in children with ADHD. Your child may need more support than their peers to develop the ability to plan, organise, and manage their time effectively.

• Allow your child some downtime after school, before they start their homework. Physical activity, like a short walk, can help them to relax and reset after the day.
  • Set up a workspace for your child. Ideally, they should have somewhere quiet to do homework, without too much clutter.
• Work with your child to set a homework schedule.
  • It should include regular times to work, take breaks, check-in, and finish for the day.
  • Ideally, break times should not include using screens. Shooting some basketball hoops, for example, will help them concentrate better than scrolling on a phone.
• Teach your child how to organise their time and manage their tasks.
  • Tools such as calendars, checklists, and electronic reminders can support these skills.
  • You could also set up a time to go through their homework each week and anything else on their to-do list.
• If your child struggles to focus on their homework, you could try working alongside them.
  • This is called ‘body doubling’ – many people with ADHD find they are more productive when they are not working alone.

Managing behaviour

• Set clear family rules, and communicate these with your child.
  • It is a good idea to display the rules in a shared part of the house, such as on the fridge.
• Try to maintain a calm home environment.
  • If you get overwhelmed, take some deep breaths and leave the room for a few minutes if you can. Your mental health is important, too.
• Speak with your child face-to-face and use direct language to make requests.
  • You can use a ‘first...then’ approach. For example, first, your child needs to do their homework; then, they can watch television.
• Praise your child for small, positive actions – not just big ones.
  • For example, if they take their dishes to the dishwasher after dinner, you could say you really appreciated how they helped you clean up.
• Understand your child’s ‘window of tolerance’ when they can complete daily tasks without their thoughts or feelings overwhelming them.
  • Learn their cues and pick your battles. If your child is overwhelmed, it is best to wait for them to regulate their emotions again before you discuss their behaviour.
  • Practice co-regulation by being present and staying calm through breathing or grounding exercises. This will help bring them back into their window.
  • Try to stay positive and calm when your child is struggling to manage their emotions – even though it may be hard.
• Use immediate rewards to acknowledge your child’s positive behaviours.
  • For example, you could give them a hug, high-five, or compliment, depending on the behaviour and their age.
  • You could also set up a behaviour rewards system. Award your child points whenever they do something positive; when they get enough points, they can choose a small reward – such as a pack of stickers.
• If your child has emotional outbursts, think about the things that seem to trigger them.
• Have a clear plan for managing unacceptable behaviour.
  • Decide on reasonable consequences for different actions.
  • Create a safe space for them to calm down. It is best to wait until they are calm before talking about their actions.

Setting healthy schedules

• Make your child’s schedule visual and interactive.
  • For example, create a checklist with morning and evening activities they can tick off.
• Limit your child’s screen use.
  • Screens can help regulate children with ADHD. However, many studies have found that spending more time on screens can impact a young person’s mental health.
  • Every family is different; help your child find the right balance between screens and time offline.
• Set up a regular bedtime routine to help your child wind down and ensure they get enough sleep.
• Ensure your child eats a nutritious diet, with a mix of foods from the 'five food groups.'
• Plan regular one-on-one time with your child, doing an activity they like. This sends the message that you love them and enjoy spending time with them.

For more information

• Speak with your child’s doctor
• Kids Health Info: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• ADHD Australia
• Raising Children Network: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital Psychology department, with input from the Centre for Community Child Health. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

Reviewed April 2026

Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.