Adversarial framing refers to a way of presenting or interpreting a conflict as a battle between opposing sides, where one party must be right and the other wrong. In education disputes, adversarial framing can occur when concerns raised by families are treated as accusations or challenges to authority rather than as opportunities to solve problems. This can shift the focus away from a child’s needs and toward defending positions, assigning blame, or protecting institutional interests. When issues are framed adversarially, communication often becomes more formal and defensive, and collaboration becomes harder. Parents may be labelled “difficult,” while schools may feel pressured to justify decisions rather than reconsider them. Recognising adversarial framing can help participants step back and refocus on shared goals—such as a student’s well-being and access to education—rather than viewing the situation as a conflict to be won or lost.