Who Can Help When School Isn’t Enough? Experts That Support Struggling Kids

When your child’s needs go beyond the classroom

You're doing everything you can. You've talked to the teacher, emailed the school counselor, even tried adjusting homework routines at home. But your child is still overwhelmed, tearful before school, or constantly zoning out during assignments. Maybe they’ve started believing they’re “bad at school”—a thought that breaks your heart. When your child is stuck and the school seems unable or unwilling to offer real help, you’re left asking: where do we turn next?

If you’re here, you’re likely already carrying the emotional weight of seeing your child struggle daily—and feeling like no one truly understands how painful and exhausting that is, both for them and for you. What if school isn’t the only answer? Sometimes, stepping outside its walls is exactly what’s needed to find the right path forward.

Understanding that you're not alone

Many parents believe they must wait until a crisis to ask for help outside of school. That’s simply not true. The truth is, it’s okay to say: “school isn’t enough for my child right now.” And when the traditional classroom starts pushing your child beyond frustration instead of lifting them into growth, it's time to build a circle of support that exists outside the classroom.

This isn't about placing blame. It’s about creating genuine opportunities for your child to thrive—regardless of how the school responds. If you’re feeling ignored or dismissed by your school team, you’re not imagining it. In fact, many parents have walked this road before. Their stories may sound familiar, some of them captured here.

Professionals who can make a difference

Here’s a look at specialists who regularly help children between the ages of 6 and 12 navigate learning challenges, emotional stress, and big transitions when school alone isn’t cutting it.

Educational psychologists

These professionals assess how a child learns and identify specific areas of difficulty—whether it’s attention, memory, language processing, or emotional regulation. If your child hasn’t had a full psychoeducational evaluation and continues to struggle, this is often the first—and most clarifying—step.

A good report from an educational psychologist provides more than a label or a diagnosis; it offers a roadmap. You’ll understand your child’s strengths, their trouble spots, and what specific changes could help both at school and home. This report can also become your starting point for advocating new accommodations, even if the school initially resists (here’s how to be heard when that happens).

Speech and language therapists (SLPs)

If your child struggles with expressing themselves clearly, following instructions, or retaining what they read, a speech and language therapist might be an unexpected—but powerful—support. SLPs don’t just help with pronunciation or stutters; they often work on the cognitive-linguistic side of communication: understanding complex instructions, organizing thoughts, sequencing, and even working memory.

Occupational therapists (OTs)

Does your child tire easily when writing? Seem disorganized? Become dysregulated at the drop of a hat in busy spaces like classrooms? Occupational therapists work on the connection between motor skills, sensory processing, and emotional balance. For some students, handwriting isn't just hard—it’s exhausting and discouraging. An OT can help reduce this daily stress so your child can focus on learning.

Child psychologists or therapists

When the emotional toll of school becomes too heavy, therapy should not be a last resort. Talking with a professional in a safe space can help your child process anxious thoughts, develop resilience, and learn how to handle self-doubt. If your child cries before school or complains repeatedly of stomachaches, those are signs to take seriously. You’re not overreacting. If you're wondering when it’s time to ask for help, this reflection may guide you.

Learning specialists and tutors

Sometimes, what a child needs is a new way to learn. Not more pressure, not more hours at the table—but different strategies. Learning specialists often work one-on-one with children who have learning differences, offering structured, supportive environments to build skills (without the stress of comparison to classmates).

This is also where technology can lend a hand. For example, if your child zones out during reading time but perks up when listening to audiobooks or storytelling, tools like the Skuli App can help turn written lessons into engaging audio adventures, even using your child’s name to make them feel like the hero in their own learning story. Bridging the gap between how your child needs to learn and how information is delivered can make all the difference.

Building your child's support ecosystem

No single expert holds all the answers—but together, they can form a web of safety and structure for your child. You don’t need to jump into all these services at once. Sometimes starting with one connection—like an educational psychologist or a therapist—is enough to spark change and direction.

Still, the most powerful person in this network is you. You know your child better than anyone. You can advocate, question, connect the dots, and—more than anything—believe in your child’s future, even when the system can’t see it clearly.

If the system won’t adapt, you still have choices

Feeling dismissed by educators or told to “just wait and see”? Know that you do, in fact, have other paths. As explored in this guide, stepping off the mainstream track doesn't mean you're giving up. It means you're choosing a path that actually fits your child—and that is quietly revolutionary.

Finally, don’t lose sight of your own wellbeing. Being the parent of a struggling learner is emotionally brutal. Make sure you have support too—whether it’s a therapist, support group, or simply carving out space for rest. Your child is watching you model resilience every day.

And remember: even when school isn’t enough, the love, resourcefulness, and persistence you offer your child is. You’re not alone in this. And you’re already doing something powerful: refusing to accept that struggle is all your child deserves.

For more about protecting your child’s emotional wellbeing when learning gets hard, you may find this article helpful.