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“When you advocate for your child’s needs, you are not just speaking up – you are creating a pathway. Children who have low vision thrive when their needs are recognised and supported in every classroom.”

— Lesleigh, mother of a Vision Australia client

“Schools lead the learning, but a parent voice helps shape a child’s learning journey. When you stay engaged, and build a positive relationship with your child’s school, you help ensure that their vision needs will be met with understanding, support and confidence.”

— Lesleigh, mother of a Vision Australia client.

That’s why we created our three Stand Up for Your Rights Education Guides:

Download the Primary and secondary education skills guide

Download the Reasonable adjustment and laws in education guide

Download the Tertiary education skills guide

Because every child deserves the chance to learn, belong, and thrive at school, and parents deserve tools and confidence to make sure that happens.

The challenges at school

Parents often face hurdles that make the education experience more stressful than it needs to be. Common barriers include:

  • Difficulty communicating their child’s needs with teachers or staff,
  • Uncertainty about how to put reasonable adjustments in place, and
  • Limited understanding of the laws that protect their child’s rights.

On their own, these challenges are tough. Together, they can leave families feeling isolated or powerless. But with the right support, you can turn that uncertainty into confidence.

How Vision Australia supports you

Vision Australia works alongside families to ensure schools become more inclusive. Through our education guides, advocacy tools and services, we:

  • Help parents understand their child’s rights and entitlements,
  • Support teachers and schools to put reasonable adjustments in place,
  • Provide strategies to build strong parent–school partnerships, and
  • Work with policymakers to address systemic barriers across education.

We want schools to not only meet their obligations, but to see the value in creating classrooms where children who are blind or have low vision are set up to succeed.

Real-life story 

“When Jacob started school it was difficult for him to find friends in the playground because of his low vision.  We worked with the school to implement a system where he could identify children by them wearing different coloured sashes.  The other children enjoyed the novelty of the sash system, and it helped Jacob engage with other children and build strong friendships”. 

This story shows how a small adjustment can have a big impact on a child’s confidence and sense of belonging.

Tools to help you and your child advocate

The Stand Up for Your Rights Education Guides are designed to give parents practical tools and peace of mind, covering:

  • Primary and secondary education: How to communicate effectively with schools and make sure your child’s needs are understood.
  • Reasonable adjustments and the law: What adjustments your child is entitled to, and how to request them.
  • Tertiary education skills: Preparing older students to advocate for themselves as they transition to further education.

Each guide also includes tips for managing common challenges, example wording to use in conversations or emails, and pathways for escalation if schools aren’t meeting their obligations.

You have the right to speak up

Being a parent means being an advocate, but you don’t have to do it alone. With the right strategies, tools and support, you can help your child get the education they deserve and help them to advocate for themselves as they grow.

Download the Stand Up for Your Rights Education Guides today and give your child the strongest start possible to their education. 

Want to access our full series of guides?

For more like these in the series and to take charge of life in the best way possible, download our full series of Stand up for your rights guides.