20 High-Protein School Lunches, Organized by Age and the Questions Parents Ask

Table of Contents

1. Ages 5 to 8
2. Ages 9 to 13
3. Ages 14 to 18
4. Packing Rules That Apply to Every Lunch
5. How We Counted Protein
6. FAQ
7. Recipe Cards

What should a school lunch actually contain? Most parents ask that question in late August, and the honest answer depends heavily on how old the eater is. A first grader and a high school athlete follow the same lunch box rules, but their appetites, their protein needs, and their tolerance for a soggy sandwich are very different. This article sorts 20 high-protein school lunches by age: six for ages 5 to 8, seven for ages 9 to 13, and seven for ages 14 to 18, each with protein per serving calculated from USDA nutrient data for the exact quantities on its card.

Each age section opens with the questions parents tend to ask, answered from the National Academies' protein recommendations, the USDA's lunch box guidance, and published extension recipes. The recommended daily amount of protein is 19 grams for ages 4 to 8, 34 grams for ages 9 to 13, and 52 grams for boys and 46 grams for girls ages 14 to 18. A review in PubMed Central reports that children and adolescents in the United States and Western Europe usually eat two to three times the recommended amounts across a whole day, so none of these lunches should be treated as a target to reach.

The more urgent part of a school lunch is safety, because the lunch often sits in a bag for hours before anyone opens it. The USDA says to use at least two cold sources, to use an insulated lunch box in place of a paper bag, and to discard perishable food that spends more than 2 hours between 40°F and 140°F. Every recipe here is built around that advice, and the packing section near the end gathers the rules in one place. Where a recipe uses peanut butter or another common allergen, we say so, because many schools have their own allergy policies.

Cooking times and temperatures come from the USDA, the FDA, and university extension recipes, and when sources differ we say which one we followed. Several of these lunches use leftovers from the dinners in our healthy meal prep dinner ideas, which saves time on school mornings. If your family likes quick plans, our quick high-protein dinners for busy school nights pair well with them.

Ages 5 to 8

How much protein does a first grader need? The daily recommendation for ages 4 to 8 is 19 grams, set by the National Academies' Food and Nutrition Board. A lunch with 13 to 17 grams of protein therefore covers most of a day's recommendation by itself, and many children in this age group will eat only half of a full portion. Treat the recipes below as menus to scale down, not as amounts to finish.

What can a young child open and eat alone? Small children often struggle with tight lids, wrapped sandwiches, and anything that needs a knife, so the six lunches in this section stick to roll-ups, wedges, muffins, and dips that fit in small hands. Pack food in containers your child has already opened at home, and cut round or firm foods into small pieces. Children under 4 carry the highest choking risk, and the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics list whole grapes, large chunks of cheese, whole beans, and hard raw vegetables among the foods to cut or avoid for them.

What if the school doesn't allow nuts? None of the six recipes in this section contain peanut butter or tree nuts, so they work at schools with those rules, although cheese, eggs, wheat, and milk appear in several of them. Check your child's allergies and your school's policy before you send anything new. A label on the container helps the lunch monitor too.

Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups with Apple Slices

Roll-ups are a good first lunch for a child who is still learning to manage a lunch box. Lay a slice of cheddar on each slice of deli turkey, roll them up, and cut each roll into pinwheels that fit small hands. Pack them with thin apple slices that have been dipped briefly in lemon water so they don't brown.

The nutrition: Each lunch of 2 ounces of turkey and 1 ounce of cheddar comes to about 15g of protein.

Opened packages of luncheon meat keep 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, according to USDA storage guidance, so check the date on the package before you pack. Keep the roll-ups cold with two cold sources in an insulated lunch box. Cut the pinwheels small for younger children, since firm rolled foods can be hard to chew.

Mini Egg Muffin Cups

Extension programs at Iowa State and the University of Washington share one method for egg muffins: heat the oven to 350°F, put 2 cups of finely diced vegetables into a muffin tin, pour in 6 beaten eggs, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, adding cheese in the last few minutes. The muffins are done when the temperature reaches 160°F, which is the FDA's number for dishes that contain eggs. This recipe makes six muffins, so each lunch uses two. Eggs are one of the cheapest proteins at the store, which is why they show up in our high-protein meal prep ideas on a budget.

Cool the muffins quickly and refrigerate them within two hours. Leftover egg dishes keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, per the FDA, so the batch covers Monday through Wednesday. Pack them cold, with two cold sources, since eggs are one of the perishable foods the USDA lists.

The nutrition: Two muffins make a lunch of about 17g of protein, from the eggs and cheddar.

Why this works: Baking the eggs in a muffin tin portions them in advance, so each lunch is already measured and fits easily in a small container.

Cheese Quesadilla Wedges

A cheese quesadilla travels better than most hot foods because it's perfectly fine cold. Mash half a cup of rinsed black beans, divide them among four tortillas, add a quarter cup of shredded cheddar to each, fold, and brown in a lightly oiled skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and let them cool before packing.

Why this works: Mashed beans act as glue for the cheese, so the filling stays put when a child bites into the wedge.

The nutrition: A lunch of one quesadilla gives about 13g of protein, from the tortilla, cheddar, and black beans.

Wrapping the wedges in parchment keeps them from sticking together. Keep them in the cold part of the lunch box, with a cold source above and below. If your child's school has a microwave, reheating is optional, and leftovers should reach 165°F if they are reheated.

Hummus and Cheese Bento Box

A bento box lets a child eat the lunch one piece at a time, which suits kids who dislike foods touching. Fill one section with a quarter cup of hummus, another with an ounce of sliced cheddar, and a third with a few spoonfuls of shelled edamame, then add cucumber rounds or bell pepper strips. Hummus holds about 8 grams of protein per 100 grams by USDA data, so the cheese and edamame carry more than their share.

The nutrition: One bento box delivers about 17g of protein, from the hummus, cheddar, and edamame; the vegetables aren't counted.

Edamame is a whole bean, which makes it a choking risk for children under 4, so it's best for school-age kids and should be mashed or left out for toddlers sharing the box. Thaw frozen edamame in the refrigerator or run it under cool water before packing. Tuck two frozen gel packs around it, above and below.

Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Dip

The USDA says ground poultry needs to reach 165°F, and a published method bakes turkey meatballs at 400°F for 18 to 22 minutes to get there. Mix a pound of ground turkey with an egg, a quarter cup of breadcrumbs, and two tablespoons of grated Parmesan, shape about 20 small meatballs, and bake until a thermometer in the largest one reads 165°F. A lunch holds three meatballs with a small container of marinara for dipping.

Cold meatballs are fine to eat, or you can pack them hot in a preheated thermos. To preheat, fill the thermos with boiling water, let it stand a few minutes, pour it out, add the meatballs and warm sauce, and keep the lid closed until lunch, as the USDA recommends. Hot food should stay at 140°F or higher.

The nutrition: Three meatballs come to about 14g of protein per lunch, from the turkey, egg, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs.

Yogurt Dip Lunch Box

Dip makes almost any food more interesting to a young child. Stir a teaspoon of ranch seasoning and a squeeze of lemon into a cup of plain Greek yogurt, and divide it among four small containers. Pack each with cheese cubes cut small, cucumber slices, and a few pieces of fruit for dipping.

Why this works: Greek yogurt is strained, so it's thick enough to cling to vegetables, which makes a dip that a child can carry on a piece of cucumber.

Because yogurt is perishable, Add one cold source on top and one underneath and an insulated bag, since paper bags aren't a safe choice. Because a lunch may sit for hours before it's eaten, the cold chain matters. Cut the cheese into small cubes for children who are new to chewing firm foods.

The nutrition: A lunch with a quarter cup of yogurt dip and an ounce of cheese gives about 13g of protein.

Ages 9 to 13

How much protein does a middle schooler need? The daily recommendation for ages 9 to 13 is 34 grams, again from the Food and Nutrition Board. A sandwich with 24 to 29 grams of protein therefore covers most of that in one meal. Since most children in this range already eat well above the recommendation across a day, a lunch at this level is a comfortable amount and not a goal.

Can a thermos really keep soup hot until lunch? The USDA says it can if you preheat it. Fill the insulated container with boiling water, let it stand a few minutes, dump out the water, add the hot food, and leave the lid shut until lunchtimetime, and the food should stay at 140°F or higher. Two recipes in this section use that method, and each asks for a thermos that closes tightly.

Do sandwiches really need ice packs? Yes, according to the USDA, which says to use at least two cold sources, such as gel packs, frozen water bottles, or frozen juice boxes, and to place them above and below perishable foods like meat, poultry, and eggs. An insulated lunch box matters too, because paper bags tear and leak as the cold items thaw. The USDA also says to discard perishable food that stays in the danger zone for more than 2 hours.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Chicken salad is one of the quickest ways to turn leftover cooked chicken into a lunch. Chop 8 ounces of cooked chicken and stir it into half a cup of plain, strained Greek yogurt with celery, mustard, and a squeeze of lemon, then spread it on 8 slices of whole-grain bread to make four sandwiches. The current FoodSafety.gov chart lists chicken, tuna, and egg salads at up to four days when refrigerated, while older charts list 3 to 5, so this article uses the shorter number.

Because the salad contains cooked chicken, it needs to stay cold. Place a cold source above and below it in an insulated lunch box, which is the USDA's advice for perishable foods like meat, poultry, and eggs. Toast the bread lightly so it doesn't soak up moisture before lunchtime.

The nutrition: One sandwich with 2 ounces of chicken comes to about 29g of protein, from the chicken, yogurt, and bread.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Hard-cooked eggs keep up to a week, according to the FDA, so a batch boiled on Sunday is ready to turn into sandwiches on Monday. Boil 8 eggs for 10 to 12 minutes, cool them in cold water, peel, and chop, then mix with a quarter cup of plain Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of mustard, and chives. Spread on 8 slices of whole-grain bread to make four sandwiches.

The nutrition: One sandwich gives about 24g of protein, from the eggs, yogurt, and bread.

Why this works: Greek yogurt replaces most of the mayonnaise, so the salad stays creamy while it adds protein.

Once the eggs are mixed into a salad, the shorter egg salad rule applies: use it within 3 to 4 days. Pack it so a cold source sits above and another below. Discard any sandwich that sits in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours, because eggs are one of the perishable foods the USDA singles out.

Bean and Cheese Burritos

A burrito is a lunch a child can eat with one hand, which is useful on a short lunch period. Mash 2 rinsed cans of black beans with cumin and a little salsa, spread a quarter of the mixture over each large tortilla, add a quarter cup of shredded cheddar, roll tightly, and tuck in the ends. A drained can of black beans holds about 15 grams of protein by USDA data, so two cans cover most of the batch. Beans are also one of the budget proteins in our cheap high-protein dinners to feed six.

The nutrition: One burrito comes to about 20g of protein, from the beans, tortilla, and cheddar.

Wrap each burrito in foil or parchment and keep it cold, since it contains cheese. If your school has a microwave, reheating is optional, and any reheated leftovers should reach 165°F in the center. Cooked foods like this keep up to 4 days when refrigerated.

Lentil Soup in a Thermos

Lentils need no soaking and cook in about 25 to 30 minutes, according to extension guidance, which makes soup a realistic weeknight project. Sauté an onion, a carrot, and a celery rib, add 1.5 cups of rinsed dry brown lentils, a can of diced tomatoes, and about 6 cups of broth, and simmer until the lentils are tender. Stir in a handful of spinach at the end and finish with a little lemon juice. The same pot method shows up in our one-pot dinners with real protein.

To keep the soup hot until noon, use the USDA's method. Fill an insulated container with boiling water, let it stand a few minutes, dump out the water, add the hot soup, and leave the lid shut until lunchtime. Hot soup should stay at 140°F or higher, and a spoon or a roll can ride in a separate bag.

Why this works: Lentils soften and thicken the broth without any flour, so the soup stays filling after it sits in a thermos for hours.

The nutrition: A cup and a half of soup carries about 18g of protein, from the lentils alone; the vegetables aren't counted.

Chicken Noodle Soup in a Thermos

Simmer a pound of boneless chicken breasts in broth until a thermometer reads 165°F, then shred them and set them aside. Published methods put medium breasts at about 12 to 15 minutes, while the USDA's chart lists 25 to 30 minutes for 4-ounce boneless halves simmered, so the thermometer decides when the chicken is done. Add carrots, celery, and 4 ounces of egg noodles to the broth, cook the noodles until tender, and return the chicken to the pot.

The nutrition: A cup and a half of soup gives about 28g of protein, with the chicken doing most of the work and the noodles.

Pack the soup in a preheated thermos, as described in the USDA's guidance, and hold the lid shut until noon. Noodles keep absorbing broth, so add a little extra broth to the thermos. Leftover soup keeps three to four days chilled.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Cook 8 ounces of small pasta according to the package, rinse it under cold water, and drain well. Toss it with 8 ounces of chopped cooked chicken, half a cup of unsweetened Greek yogurt thinned with lemon juice and garlic, and diced cucumber and cherry tomatoes halved. Divide it among four containers.

Because the salad includes chicken and dairy, it falls under the 3 to 4 day rule for chicken salads on the current FoodSafety.gov chart. Keep it chilled with two cold sources, and pack it in an insulated lunch box instead of a paper bag. A frozen juice box can serve as one of the cold sources and thaws by lunch.

The nutrition: A container comes to about 27g of protein, from the pasta, chicken, and yogurt dressing.

Turkey Taco Wrap

Ground poultry needs to reach 165°F, so brown a pound of ground turkey with onion, chili powder, and cumin until a thermometer reads that number. Stir in a drained can of black beans, spoon the mixture down the center of four large tortillas with shredded lettuce and a little cheddar, and roll them up. Let the filling cool before you wrap, because warm filling in a closed wrap stays warm too long. If you like cooking this kind of filling in one pan, our high-protein skillet dinners have more ideas.

Why this works: Beans stretch the turkey and add fiber, so the wrap is filling without being heavy.

The nutrition: A wrap gives about 33g of protein, from the turkey, black beans, tortilla, and cheddar.

Pack the wrap cold, with a gel pack on each side, and keep the salsa in a separate container so the tortilla doesn't go soggy. Cooked ground turkey keeps 3 to 4 days when kept cold. If your school has a microwave, reheating to 165°F is optional.

Ages 14 to 18

How much protein does a teenager need? The daily recommendation is 52 grams for boys and 46 grams for girls ages 14 to 18, according to the Food and Nutrition Board. Teens often want larger lunches, and several recipes here reach 30 to 35 grams. That fits a bigger appetite, but the same caution applies: these lunches are menus, not minimums, and a smaller portion is fine. For dinners at a similar size, see our high-protein dinners with 30g of protein.

What if the school has a microwave? Reheating is optional, and leftovers should reach 165°F in the center per the USDA if they are reheated. Cover the container, stir partway through, and rotate it so the heat spreads, because microwaves leave cold spots in dense foods like rice and shredded meat. If there is no microwave, choose the cold lunches in this section.

What about teens who pack their own lunch? Teens are old enough to handle the steps that matter most: two cold sources, an insulated bag, and keeping the bag away from heat. The USDA says to chill perishable foods within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the air temperature is 90°F or higher. That window is shorter in a warm car or a sunny spot, so it helps to pack the lunch the night before and refrigerate it.

Chicken Burrito Bowl

A burrito bowl is a burrito without the tortilla, which makes it easier to eat with a fork and easier to scale up for a hungry teenager. Layer 3 ounces of cooked chicken, a quarter of a can of black beans, three-quarters of a cup of cooked rice, and a little cheddar in each container, and top with salsa. Cool the rice quickly after cooking and refrigerate it within about an hour, according to university extension guidance.

The nutrition: Each bowl comes to about 35g of protein, from the chicken, black beans, rice, and cheddar.

Pack the bowl cold, with two cold sources, or reheat it at school if a microwave is available. Reheated food should reach 165°F in the center, so cover it, stir it partway through, and rotate the container. Cooked chicken and rice keep three to four days chilled.

Why this works: Layering the toppings keeps the textures separate, so the lettuce stays crisp until the bowl is mixed.

Turkey Club Wrap

A club wrap borrows the idea of the classic sandwich and rolls it into a tortilla. Layer 3 ounces of sliced deli turkey, a slice of cheddar, a sliced hard-cooked egg, lettuce, and tomato on each large tortilla, then roll tightly and cut in half. Opened luncheon meat keeps 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, per USDA guidance, so open the package close to the day you use it.

Keep the wraps cold with a cold source on top and bottom. Hard-cooked eggs keep up to a week, according to the FDA, so boil them on Sunday and use them through the week. Wrap each half in parchment so it holds its shape.

The nutrition: A wrap provides about 31g of protein, from the turkey, tortilla, egg, and cheddar.

Greek Chicken Rice Bowl

Season 12 ounces of cooked, chopped chicken with lemon, oregano, and garlic, and divide it among four containers over three-quarters of a cup of cooked rice each. Add cucumber, tomato, two tablespoons of crumbled feta, and a spoonful of tzatziki made from half a cup of Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, and garlic. Choose pasteurized feta, which is the safer option for anyone who is pregnant.

The nutrition: One bowl delivers about 34g of protein; the chicken supplies the bulk, rice, feta, and yogurt sauce.

Keep the bowl cold, or reheat the rice and chicken and add the cold toppings afterward. Cool the rice within about an hour of cooking and reheat it until steaming hot. The bowl keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Beef and Rice Bowl

Brown 1.25 pounds of 90% lean ground beef with onion and garlic until it reaches 160°F, the USDA's number for ground beef, and drain the fat. Stir in soy sauce, a little brown sugar, and ginger, and simmer for a few minutes so the sauce clings to the meat. Spoon it over three-quarters of a cup of cooked rice per container and add steamed broccoli.

Why this works: Browning the beef first builds flavor, which the quick sauce can't create on its own.

Cool the rice and beef quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate them within two hours, or within one hour if the kitchen is above 90°F. Reheat to 165°F if your school has a microwave. A cold version is fine too, as long as it stays below 40°F until lunch.

The nutrition: A bowl gives about 31g of protein, from the beef and the rice.

Protein Bento Box

Fill a box with whatever protein you have on hand, and the lunch practically builds itself. Pack a hard-cooked egg, an ounce of cheddar cubes, a quarter of a can of rinsed chickpeas, an ounce of sliced deli turkey, and some fruit and vegetables. Hard-cooked eggs keep up to a week, while opened deli meat keeps 3 to 5 days.

Nothing here needs cooking on the day, so it's the quickest lunch in the article if the eggs are already boiled. Keep it below 40°F with a gel pack on each side. Peel the egg at home, since peeling at school means touching it with unwashed hands.

The nutrition: A bento box comes to about 22g of protein, from the egg, cheddar, chickpeas, and turkey.

Why this works: Several small proteins add up to a full lunch, and a teenager who dislikes one of them can skip it without losing the whole meal.

Peanut Butter Banana Wrap

Check your school's allergy policy before you pack this one, because many schools restrict peanuts. If peanut butter is allowed, spread 2 tablespoons across each large tortilla, set a small banana on the edge, and roll it up. USDA data lists smooth peanut butter at about 22 grams of protein per 100 grams, so two tablespoons hold about 7 grams.

The nutrition: A wrap and a yogurt cup come to about 32g of protein, from the peanut butter, tortilla, and Greek yogurt.

Pair the wrap with a three-quarter cup of plain Greek yogurt, which adds roughly 19 grams and brings the lunch up to a size a teenager will find satisfying. The wrap itself doesn't need refrigeration for a few hours, but the yogurt does, so pack it with two cold sources. If your school is nut free, a different spread you've cleared with your child's doctor can take its place, though the protein will change.

Turkey and Bean Chili in a Thermos

Brown a pound of ground turkey with an onion and garlic until it reaches 165°F, the USDA's number for ground poultry. Add two rinsed cans of kidney beans, a can of diced tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin with about 2 cups of water or broth, and simmer for about 40 minutes until thick. Canned kidney beans are already cooked, which makes them safe to use here.

Why this works: Beans and turkey both hold their texture through hours in a thermos, so the chili tastes the same at noon as it did at breakfast.

The nutrition: A cup and a half of chili with cheddar gives about 33g of protein, from the turkey, kidney beans, and cheese.

Pack the chili in a preheated thermos, as the USDA suggests for soup or chili. Fill the container with boiling water, let it stand a few minutes, pour it out, add the hot chili, and keep the lid closed until lunch. A sprinkle of shredded cheddar goes in a small container on the side.

Packing Rules That Apply to Every Lunch

These rules come from the USDA's back-to-school lunch safety guidance, and they apply to every recipe above. Wash hands with soapy water for at least 20 seconds before, during, and after handling food, and discard containers or bags that held raw items. Use at least two cold sources, such as gel packs, frozen water bottles, or frozen juice boxes, and place them above and below perishable foods like meat, poultry, and eggs. Use an insulated lunch box, because paper bags aren't a safe choice.

For hot foods like soup or chili, preheat an insulated container with boiling water, empty it, add the hot food, and don't open it before lunch. Hot food should stay at 140°F or higher, and cold food should stay below 40°F. If perishable food enters the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours, discard it.

A few other habits help. Freeze a juice box or water bottle overnight to use as one of the cold sources, and pack it at the bottom. Keep dressings, sauces, and crunchy toppings in separate containers so the main dish stays pleasant to eat. Teach children to open the bag only when they're ready to eat, since each opening lets cold air out.

How We Counted Protein

Protein is calculated from USDA nutrient data for the exact quantities on each recipe card. A lunch is the portion stated in the recipe, and cards make four lunches except the egg muffins, which make three lunches of two muffins each, and the turkey meatballs, which make about six lunches of three. Chicken is counted at 75 percent of its raw weight after cooking, and deli meat, cheese, eggs, and beans use USDA values per 100 grams. Vegetables, fruit, sauces, and condiments aren't counted.

The peanut butter wrap uses the USDA value for smooth peanut butter, and the yogurt cup on the side is included in that lunch's total. These numbers are close approximations, not lab measurements, and they'll change with portion size and brand. Recommended daily protein amounts come from the National Academies' Food and Nutrition Board and are for general reference, not medical advice.

Questions About High-Protein School Lunches

How much protein should a school lunch have?

There's no single number, and the right amount depends on age and appetite. The daily recommendation is 19 grams for ages 4 to 8, 34 grams for ages 9 to 13, and 52 grams for boys and 46 grams for girls ages 14 to 18. Most children eat more than that across a day, so use these lunches as menus and not as targets.

How do I keep a packed lunch safe until noon?

The USDA says to use an insulated lunch box with at least two cold sources, placed above and below perishable foods. Hot food goes in a preheated thermos and should stay at 140°F or higher. Discard perishable food that has been between 40°F and 140°F for more than 2 hours.

How long do chicken and egg salads keep?

The current FoodSafety.gov chart lists chicken, tuna, and egg salads at 3 to 4 days when kept cold, while some older charts list 3 to 5 days. This article uses the shorter number. Hard-cooked eggs themselves keep up to a week, according to the FDA.

Can I pack hot food without a thermos?

Not safely for several hours. Hot food needs an insulated container that has been preheated, and it should stay at 140°F or higher until lunch. If you don't have one, pack a cold lunch with two cold sources instead.

What if my child's school is nut free?

The recipes in the ages 5 to 8 section contain no peanuts or tree nuts, and only the peanut butter banana wrap in the oldest section uses peanut butter. Check your school's policy and your child's allergies before you pack anything new. Cheese, eggs, wheat, and milk are common in these recipes, so those allergies need a separate check.

Which lunch has the most protein?

The chicken burrito bowl leads at about 35g, followed by the Greek chicken rice bowl at about 34g and the turkey taco wrap and the turkey and bean chili at about 33g each. The lightest lunches are the cheese quesadilla wedges and the yogurt dip lunch box at about 13g. Those lighter lunches are written for younger children, whose daily recommendation is much lower.

Can I make these ahead?

Several keep well. The egg muffins, meatballs, and cooked chicken keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, and hard-cooked eggs keep up to a week. Prepare the cold lunches the night before and refrigerate them.

Do kids need high-protein lunches?

Most children already get more protein than they need across a day, according to a review in PubMed Central. A lunch built around protein foods is a good way to balance a meal and keep it filling, but it isn't a requirement. A pediatrician or dietitian is the right person to ask about a specific child's needs.