Going to a meeting can be scary, but its good to go because:

• It’s your chance to talk about how you’re getting on and whether you're getting the right support at school.

• It will help you find out what’s happening and what decisions are being made and why.

• You have the right to be heard by the adults who make decisions about you and going to meetings is one of the best ways to do this.

Some tips for going to meetings:

• Find out who’s in charge of the meeting. This person is called the ‘chair’.

• Ask what the meeting will be about, who will be there and how you can be part of it.

• Think about what you would like to say at the meeting. You should be able to get someone to help you with this if you want. You can get help from a teacher, friend, supporter or advocate. They can help you to talk through what you want to say and write it down for you. They can also come to meetings with you

During the Meeting:

• Listen to others and feel free to ask questions (for example if someone says something you don’t understand).

• Give yourself and others time to think before speaking.

• If you find it hard to express what you are feeling, write what you want to say down on paper to help. If you want to, you can have someone there to help you speak up and join in the discussion (a friend, teacher, supporter or advocate).