A Fresh Update to the Parent Advocacy Pocket Guide By Heidi Gregory, Parent Advocate and Founder of Dyslexia Victoria Support

Updated Parent Advocacy Pocket Guide now available.

That’s where this guide began—and it’s exactly why I’ve updated it for 2025.

This guide has been years in the making. I first started putting it together after presenting at the Sharing Best Practice – Gippsland event with Olivia Connelley (Gameplan) back in 2021. That presentation was a turning point—it made me realise how many families were stuck in the same place I’d been: concerned, confused, and not sure where to begin.

What a journey it’s been.

What is the Parent Advocacy Pocket Guide?

It’s a short, plain-English guide designed to help parents take the first steps when they suspect their child is struggling with reading, writing, or spelling. It’s grounded in lived experience, backed by evidence, and made to reduce overwhelm—not add to it.

Inside, you’ll find:

• Common signs of literacy difficulties

• What to observe in your child’s learning habits

• How to approach your school with confidence

• When and how to seek an assessment

• Tips for working with teachers on a support plan

It’s designed to empower—not confuse. No fluff. Just facts, questions to ask, and steps to take.

Why I Created It

When my children were younger, I was that parent. The one who just knew something wasn’t quite right, even though everyone around me kept saying, “They’ll catch up.” We lived through the “three Ds”—dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia—and walked alongside ADHD, DLD, DCD, and ASD, too.

Back then, there was no roadmap. No one-pager to tell me how to start a conversation with the school. No cheat sheet for understanding acronyms. No checklist for collecting the paperwork that would become our lifeline.

So I made one. And now, I’ve updated it.

After two decades of advocating for my children—and later, hundreds of other families through Dyslexia Victoria Support—I’ve seen how early action can change the whole trajectory of a child’s education. This guide is a way to make that process clearer, calmer, and more constructive for every family who’s just beginning their journey.

Who It’s For

• Parents who’ve just had that gut feeling

• Grandparents or carers who want to help

• Families unsure if an assessment is needed

• Anyone supporting a child who says, “I hate reading”

If you’ve ever left a school meeting with more questions than answers—or you’re worried you’ll be talked around the issue—this guide will give you the confidence to speak up, ask the right questions, and know what comes next.

What’s New in the 2025 Update?

• Sample questions for school meetings and how to spot jargon

• Clear explanations of SMART goals, ILPs, and evidence-based programs

• A “buyer beware” checklist for spotting pseudoscientific programs

• A myth-busting section to call out common misinformation

• Links to free screening tools, reliable organisations, and support services

Where to Get It

You can download the updated guide directly from my website:Parent Advocacy Pocket Guide – 2025 Edition

You’ll also find additional resources, workshop bookings, and tips for creating your own Student Support Binder—my go-to tool that’s helped hundreds of families stay prepared and confident during school meetings.

Final Thoughts

I know what it’s like to feel like the only one waving the red flag.

But you’re not alone.You’re not overreacting.And you are your child’s best advocate.

This guide is my way of making sure you have the tools I wish I’d had, back when my own kids were slipping through the cracks.

Start here. Speak up. And know that you’ve got a community behind you.

With you in advocacy,

Heidi Gregory Parent Advocate & Founder of Dyslexia Victoria Support