When Smart Isn’t Simple 

Many children with high learning potential (HLP) surprise the adults around them. They might learn quickly, ask challenging questions, or think in unusually creative ways. At the same time, they may experience anxiety, frustration, sensory sensitivities, or difficulty regulating emotions. 

Some children also have learning differences, neurodevelopmental conditions or support needs, such as difficulties with handwriting, attention, or social communication, alongside their cognitive strengths. These children may be described as having dual and multiple exceptionality (DME). Families and professionals might find yourself asking: 

  • Why is this child thriving in one area but struggling in another? 
  • Why are they masking, shutting down, or refusing to attend school? 
  • Why do others not see what I see whether that is the difficulty or the strength? 
  • What should I say at the next meeting, and how can I get others to listen? 

Questions like these often show that tailored support is needed. It is not about fixing something; it is about understanding the complexity of a profile and building support that fits. 

Giftedness Is Not Always Straightforward 

It is a common myth that high ability leads to high achievement or that gifted learners will be fine; HLP children often show asynchronous development. This means their emotional, social, and cognitive growth can move at very different speeds. A child might read several years ahead of their age but still find it hard to manage frustration or cope with change. They may appear confident in one moment and emotionally overwhelmed in the next. 

For DME children, the gap between what they can do and how they cope can feel even more confusing. Strengths may hide their support needs. Support needs may lead others to overlook their potential. 

Why Support Can Be Difficult to Access 

In the UK, national policy no longer prioritises high ability as an area of educational focus. Programmes and training in gifted education have largely been removed, and many professionals are not equipped to recognise or respond to complex HLP profiles. As a result, families and professionals are often left to figure it out on their own, without clear guidance or understanding from the systems around them. This is particularly true for children who present in atypical ways or whose strengths and difficulties do not align with standard categories of support. 

A Different Kind of Support 

When things feel stuck, a structured, reflective conversation can help bring clarity. Our consultancy sessions are designed to support families and professionals in thinking through complex concerns with a qualified specialist in gifted education and care. These sessions are not about offering quick fixes or responding to crises. They are calm, focused sessions that offer time to reflect and plan with care. 

Each session includes: 

  • A short reflection form completed in advance 
  • A 45-minute online consultation 
  • A personalised summary and suggested next steps 

You do not need to have had an assessment, a diagnosis or formal referral. If you are supporting a child with high learning potential and have unanswered questions or a sense that something is being missed, a session can help you pause and find your way forward. 

For Parents and Carers 

You may be navigating challenges such as: 

  • Anxiety, perfectionism, or school refusal 
  • Underachievement or masking in school 
  • Sensory differences or executive functioning difficulties 
  • Uncertainty about school provision or educational pathways 
  • Transitions, reintegration, or breakdowns in communication 

A consultancy session offers a safe and structured way to be heard, explore what is happening, and identify the next right step for your child and your family. 

For Professionals 

You might be a teacher, SENCO, tutor, educational psychologist, paediatrician, therapist, or local authority consultant supporting a child who: 

  • Presents differently in different settings 
  • Struggles to fit into typical categories of provision 
  • Shows high potential but also complex emotional or behavioural needs 
  • Requires joined-up thinking across home, school, and care 
  • Is approaching a key transition, review, or planning meeting 

These sessions offer professionals a protected space to reflect, test ideas, and think beyond standard pathways. 

Why This Matters 

We are the only UK charity providing structured, specialist support for families and professionals working with high learning potential and DME learners. Our approach is strength-based, neuro-affirming, and grounded in both research and practical experience. 

When high ability is not well understood in education, services or systems, families often feel they must explain or defend their concerns repeatedly. Our role is to listen carefully, offer clarity where there’s confusion, and support you to take the next step with greater confidence.   

We Walk This Path Too 

We’re a team with both professional expertise and lived experience of raising and supporting children with HLP and DME. We do this work because we’ve faced similar challenges ourselves. Our training matters, but it’s our personal experience that shapes how we listen, respond, and support others. 

We understand the highs, such as the joy of a curious question or a breakthrough moment, and the lows, including misjudged meetings, daily anxiety, or long waits for the right support. We have sat in school corridors, watched children unravel after masking all day, and held our breath in conversations that could go either way. 

This lived experience shapes everything we offer. The support we provide is naturally holistic because we know first-hand that you cannot separate a child’s learning from their wellbeing. We always consider emotional development, identity, relationships, and the everyday realities of raising or teaching complex learners. 

Final Thought 

Children with high learning potential and those with additional needs often fall between systems. They may appear capable and well-behaved while quietly struggling with anxiety, sensory overload, or deep emotional stress. Supporting them requires thought, patience, and space to look beneath the surface. 

If you are parenting, teaching or supporting a child whose needs are complex and whose experiences are not fully understood, a calm, focused conversation may be the next right step. Good support begins with curiosity. Taking time to reflect is never wasted. 

Click here to find out more or book a Consultancy session. 

About the author: Natalie Jensen is the Advice Services Lead for Potential Plus UK, a parent of HLP/DME children, an Early Years Teacher and a qualified Specialist in Gifted Education and Care through the European Council for High Ability (ECHA), where she is also an active member of the Special Interest Group Empowering Families.Â