This research review provides a synthesis of articles that analyse the impact of the educational system on families with special needs children and the potential ways that these families can be empowered and equipped. The articles selected focus on research participants and schools found in North America and Great Britain, in order to give the research consumer a corresponding picture of the impact of stress on Canadian families with special needs children. The assessment of the research articles illustrates that the educational system does create high levels of stress for families with special needs children. However, teachers can use empathy, compassion, and mutual understanding to help empower families with special needs children. There are also practical tools, such as instructing parents in teaching skills to assist their children, which can be used to equip these families and help them to reduce their stress levels exacerbated by the educational system. Further study should be done to look at changing teacher attitudes toward special needs students, and at learning more about how the stress of a special needs child specifically affects fathers and other male caregivers, non-special needs siblings, and non-middle class families.