The transition to kindergarten can feel overwhelming when your child has additional needs. Here's how one family navigated it, and what they want other families to know.

When we found out our son had been offered a place at our local C&K kindy, our excitement was quickly followed by a familiar knot of uncertainty. He's a wonderful, curious, energetic child - and he also has a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD. Transitions are genuinely hard for him. A brand-new environment, new faces, new routines, sensory input from every direction. We knew we needed to be thoughtful about how we prepared him and ourselves.

What followed was one of the most positive experiences we've had navigating the system, and we want to share it in the hope it helps other families heading into this season.

Be upfront on the enrolment form

When we received the enrolment paperwork, we made sure to include our son's diagnoses clearly. We know this can feel vulnerable - there's a worry that flagging additional needs might somehow work against your child. In our experience with C&K, the opposite is true.

Disclosing a diagnosis, suspected diagnosis, or developmental delay on enrolment isn't a red flag. It gives educators the time and information they need to put the right support in place before your child even walks through the door.

Kindies use this information to plan inclusion support, apply for resourcing, and make practical accommodations. The earlier they know, the more they can do.

Meet with the teaching team - before kindy starts

A few months before kindy began, our son’s teaching team reached out to us. An unexpected, but much-appreciated surprise. We arranged two separate conversations: one where my husband and I met with the educators to discuss our son's specific needs, communication style, sensory sensitivities, and what helps him feel safe, and a separate visit where our son came to explore the space without any other children present.

That second visit was invaluable. He got to be curious at his own pace. He saw where things lived, found a corner he liked, and met his teachers without the overwhelm of a full classroom. It made him feel like it was already a little bit his.

If your kindy doesn't offer this automatically, ask. Most educators are glad to arrange a quiet visit; they just may not know it would help until you tell them.

Use the orientation sessions intentionally

There were two group play dates before kindy officially began, giving our son the chance to visit with his future classmates. For a child who struggles with new environments and unfamiliar people, this repetition was everything. By the time kindy started, the space wasn't new anymore. Some of the faces weren't either.

We also did small things at home: driving past the kindy building when we were in the area, talking about it positively and often, keeping the tone light and excited rather than anxious.

Education Support Plans are a real thing - and they matter

Working with the teaching team, an Education Support Plan was developed for our son. This isn't just paperwork - it's a living document that outlines specific strategies, accommodations, and goals, and it opened the door to additional resourcing. In practical terms, this meant giving our son more access to support when he needed it.

The team also made specific, thoughtful accommodations based on who our son is. He has sensory sensitivities - noise, bright lights, busy spaces can quickly tip him into overwhelm. His primary regulation strategy is movement and pressure, what's sometimes called "crashing." His teachers set up a small pop-up tent as a quiet retreat space, just for him. They sourced a crash mat. They built movement breaks into the daily routine.

You know your child better than anyone. Share that knowledge generously with the team - the more specific you can be, the more targeted their support can be.

“Children don’t need to change who they are to belong at kindergarten. When families and educators work in partnership, every child is supported to take the big steps into learning, belonging and thriving.” - Claire Allsop, C&K Principal Advisor - Inclusion

Keep the communication going

The Education Support Plan isn't a set-and-forget document. We review it regularly with the teaching team, checking in on what's working, what's shifted, and what might need adjusting. The team keeps us in the loop, and we try to do the same. It feels like a genuine partnership. We trust the teaching team. They are experts in what they do, and sharing our knowledge with them has allowed them to create a safe and engaging environment for our son.

Our son loves kindy. He asks to go on the days he doesn't have it. He comes home having made things and learned things and burned off energy in the best possible way. While he doesn't often tell us much about his day (a very familiar experience for many families), we can see it in him. The joy is obvious.

None of that happened by accident. It happened because a team of educators took the time to truly know him - and because we felt safe enough to let them.

If your family is approaching this transition, we hope this gives you something useful to hold onto. It doesn't always feel simple, but it can feel supported. You don't have to figure it out alone. Reach out to your teaching team or centre director – they’re happy to help.