School Advocacy for Kids with Attachment Challenges

Navigating the school system with a foster, adopted, or kinship child can be challenging—especially when their needs don’t fit neatly into standard educational models. For many of these kids, attachment struggles such as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) add another layer of complexity. From securing the right accommodations through IEPs and 504 plans to educating teachers about trauma-informed practices, having the right resources can make all the difference. This page gathers the most trusted tools, guides, and advocacy resources to help your child succeed in school while protecting their emotional well-being.

This website contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases — but I only recommend books and resources I’ve personally used or truly believe will help families.

• A Day in Our Shoes
  Excellent website and Facebook page offering special education advocacy and IEP tips. The information is very practical and often state specific.

• An Educator’s Guide to Students with Traumatic Backgrounds
  (RAD Advocates)
  The perfect handout for your child’s teacher and school. (I’ve found these types of things are accepted much more easily when presented in a non-adversarial way and perhaps a gift card for a coffee on me.)
• Letter to Share With Teachers and School Staff
  (The Attachment Institute of New England)
  Shareable explanation of reactive attachment disorder for teachers — written by Jessica Murphy, a licensed clinical social worker, not a parent, so you can hand staff a professional one-pager they will take seriously.

• From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide
  (Pam Wright and Pete Wright)
  Comprehensive guidebook for parents to become better advocates for their child’s educational needs. 504s and IEPs are appropriate for many, if not most, kids with RAD.

• Foster Youth College Resources
  A comprehensive listing of links to resources for youth in foster care, or aging out of foster care including scholarship opportunities and financial support for housing.

• Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Children in the Classroom
  (Heather T. Forbes, LCSW)
  Guide for parents and teachers to help children who have trauma-based behaviors become more successful in school. Consider buying a copy for yourself and your child’s teacher so you can work collaboratively.

• IEP Laws and Regulations for all 50 States
  From A Day in Our Shoes is a handy spreadsheet to links for each state’s different IEP laws.
• Dispute Resolution (between family and school)
  Resource list from Formed Families Forward

• JobCorps
  This may be an option for your child to obtain job training, a driver’s license, independence, and more. This is the link to information on the program.

• Reactive Attachment Disorder: A summary for Teachers
  The Attachment Institute of New England’s teacher hand out to explain the disorder and help our children be more successful in the classroom.

• Suspensions, IEPs, and Manifestation Determination Meetings for parents
• From A Day in Our Shoes, critical information for parents to help prevent school suspensions. A must read.

• The Rights of Students with IEPs & 504 Plans
  From the Center for Parent Information & Resources this provides critical information about your child’s right regarding suspensions and expulsions, including “off the record” suspensions.

• Tips to Work with Your Child’s School
  This is all about how you as a parent can work more successfully with your child’s teacher.
• ATN Directory of Trauma-Informed, Attachment-Focused Education Professionals
  List not personally vetted by me, but worth a look.

Didn’t find what you are looking for? Check out: Parenting Strategies: Adoptive & Foster Families