Moving to another country is a difficult experience for most people, but it can be overwhelming for children with special education needs and their parents. Daphne Davis describes how three families confronted the problem, and offers a comprehensive list of help and information.

Leon Burton describes how it felt when, as a ten-year-old, he moved from London to Brussels and started attending one of Brussels’ European schools: “My world collapsed. Extreme culture shock and academic humiliation came to a head when my teacher sent a letter home saying that my spelling and handwriting were years behind my actual age, and I was probably dyslexic (see box) and should redo the year. To a ten year old, the term dyslexic appeared to be a complicated way of saying that I was mentally deficient.”

Read more: March/April 2006 issue