Lucas*, who identifies as Indigenous, has a number of mental health conditions, which result in poor behaviour. He is frequently suspended from school. Without an education, his future looks bleak.

Rachel wants to fight for better support for him and children like him.

She described her grandson as a loving kid, but a "child of mixed emotions".

Lucas is, she says, an "ice baby". Rachel and Lucas' grandfather took him into their care at just seven months old. At five, it became apparent that something was wrong.

When his grandfather suggested he be screened for fetal alcohol syndrome, Rachel was disbelieving.

"I said, 'He hasn't got that', because I didn't understand," she said.

"I said he's just a bad kid, that's all it is. He needs structure."

After being tested by a psychiatrist and an occupational therapist at Westmead Children's Hospital, Lucas was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), ADHD, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of emerging psychosis.

"The day they gave me the diagnosis, I was shocked," Rachel said. "He can do wrong and lie, but he can be the most loving kid.

"He will walk into your room of a morning and say, 'Nan, gee you've got beautiful eyes, I love you.'"

Lucas takes Ritalin, Clonidine and Concerta daily. He sees a psychiatrist, and receives support from the William Campbell Foundation, Waminda and the Aboriginal Medical Service.

He was recently approved for an NDIS package.

Despite all of this, Rachel says he does not receive adequate support at school. She said he does not have a dedicated teacher's aide, and may not be able to receive a place in a support unit due to wait lists. She fears that without adequate supervision, he will get into trouble - and he frequently does.

"In the classroom, he's been good," she said. "But in the playground, he likes to play and run. If he's not monitored, there are places the teachers can't see.

"It only takes someone saying something about his mother - he doesn't see her, but he loves her, and he will defend her to the ground.

"Every afternoon just before three o'clock, I'd wonder what had happened today, and cry."

His poor behaviour is often managed with suspensions, which put him at risk of falling further behind socially and academically.

"We need another way to deal with these behaviours," Rachel said. "I'm not making excuses for my child - when he misbehaves, he needs to be punished. But why don't they have programs where he doesn't have to be put out of school?

"If there was a teacher's aide, they could intercept beforehand.

"My heart goes out to kids that have these problems. I know he is not the only one.

"The support just isn't there. And it's because there isn't the funding, and these kids get left behind."

Lucas' Ability Links support worker, Lizzy Campbell, said FASD could impact a child's ability to socialise.

"[It] has impacted his ability to meet those developmental milestones where he can appropriately interact with other children," she said. "His behaviours are the outcome of him not being able to manage the social cues he's being given by other children and teachers."

Rachel praised the efforts of Lucas' teacher, but said there was no way around it - the little boy who desperately wants to become a police officer needs extra support, if he isn't going to become another statistic.

"He wants to become a cop - I'm lucky because a few have been out and kicked ball with him," she said. "If he wants to become a cop, he's got to stay clean of everything.

"My biggest fear is that instead of ending up on the right side, he'll end up on the wrong side.

"I don't want him in a system that is going to put him in jail later. That's where a lot of our kids end up from this diagnosis [of FASD]."

*Names have been changed.

"It is a priority of NSW public school that students are known, valued and cared for. Public schools' wellbeing framework support schools to create safe, supportive learning environments that enable students to connect, succeed and thrive.

"Schools work extensively and intensively to address issues of students with a broad spectrum of disabilities. This includes students who display behaviours resulting from complex mental health issues.

"Schools work in partnership with families and other agencies to support the students' needs.

"As well as direct support for a student with a disability, in some cases the school must also account for the safety of other students and staff, through risk management strategies and possibly direct support and supervision. Risk management can include managing daily attendance to avoid 'risk situations' that may be identified in the school day. This management would aim to balance education with safety.

"The success of a school's support for an individual student can depend on the extent that the student and family engage and cooperate with the school's program and recommendations.

"Depending on the size of the school, there will be teams and/or specialist staff who will take responsibility for the student with issues, including managing programs of support and seeking additional resources."