It is not uncommon to find children in schools who have been neglected to some degree and, sometimes, even abused. These children may be obvious to the trained eye and as teachers we are relatively well equipped to deal with a situation such as this.

There are, however, children who are suffering quietly, making their way through life the best way they know how; under the radar. We notice them, sometimes. They are the children who sit on their own during break time, they are quiet and withdrawn. Some of them are loud and obnoxious, bullying others. And still others are bright and cheery-eyed, always willing to help and always ready with the correct answer. We notice them, but we don't always notice their need or know what they may be going through.

The needs of children have changed over the years. Before, it was common for mothers to quit their jobs to stay at home with the kids until they reached secondary school, but now mothers hire nannies and babysitters, some children as young as two years old are enrolled in homecare programmes. The reason for this is because not many families can afford to raise children on a single salary these days. Mothers are forced to work in order to provide for their family. There has also been a rise in single parenthood and these mothers sometimes have to maintain more than one job. Teenage parenthood is also a growing concern; as children are passed off to grandparents, whilst mum goes back to school herself.

These children require some extra attention at school. Many of them try to fulfill this need by becoming the class clown, others take to bullying, even though the attention they receive is negative, others do not know how to fill the need and become isolated and many of them will succumb to depression at a very early age.

As teachers, we are required to provide an education for these children, and this includes teaching them how to deal with difficult situations such as these. Every single child in your class has their own set of needs and lives in different circumstances, it is our job to know the child and provide a loving, caring and safe environment away from home.