After being off school for so long, it is only natural that many young people will be worried about returning to school. 

There are many reasons why returning to school may feel difficult and young people may experience a range of emotions including anxiety, worry, panic, sadness, irritability and fear. A number reasons contributing to these feelings may include:

• They may feel more comfortable and safer being at home than in a school environment
• They may feel overwhelmed with the bombardment of daily death tolls, self-isolation and shutdown and other world events and unsure of what to expect or a general feeling of anxiety and fear
• Separation anxiety, having spent a considerable amount of time with parents and family at home, young people can become fearful of leaving their family
• Being at home may have relieved some of the social anxiety and academic pressures that they struggle with in a school environment
• Fearful of catching or passing on the virus 
• Having been isolated from their friends for so long, anxious as to whether their friendship groups will be still in tact
• Any pre-existing difficulties, such as, health conditions, previous experience of illness, certain mental health conditions i.e. OCD if this relates to fear of contamination
• Any young person on the Autism Spectrum, the change and transition may increase their anxiety as they are unable to predict or imagine what school will now look like and having to wear a face covering
• The new guidelines of carrying out their own lateral flow test, wearing a face covering all day, changes to the school timetable i.e. different start and finishing times

Signs that a young person is struggling:

• Anxiety or panic physical symptoms, such as nausea, feeling tense or shaky, headaches, dizziness, poor sleep, stomach ache, loss of appetite or over-eating
• Behaviour – avoidance of doing things school related; refusing to go to school, going out more or less, talking about and checking for information on line about Coronavirus or school excessively, seeking reassurance or asking many questions, not finding pleasure in things they would usually enjoy

Here are some tips on how you can support your child to transition back to school life:

1. Talk and listen to your child about how they are feeling about going back to school and try not to make assumptions. Ask them if they are worried or feel scared about anything, but also if they are excited or looking forward to something. Normalise and validate their feelings. Anxiety is a normal response to feeling threat or danger, which can be heightened during the pandemic. No matter how your child feels, let them know that it is completely normal to feel a mixture of emotions and that everyone will be in the same boat. 
2. To increase feelings of predictability and security, provide your child with as much information about their new routine and school day as you can. This will help them to prepare for any changes made to the timings of their day, the layout of their classroom, their peer/bubble groups and playtimes. For younger children, it can be helpful for them to visualise these changes, which may require you to contact your child’s school to see if they can send any pictures to help make things feel more familiar,or walk past the school to remind them what it looks like, maybe visit the school website.
3. Reassure your child. During the lockdown we have been told to stay at home, remain socially distant from others and wash our hands regularly to keep ourselves safe. Discuss with your child how they can stay safe at school, such as, washing their hands before and after eating, and reassure them that the school have put measures in place to keep them safe.
4. Acknowledge what has stayed the same, which will help to balance their worries about things that have changed. Discuss some of the positives of going back to school, for example, what are they looking forward to, what can they do that they have been missing.
5. Exams. Many young people may have expressed relief at not taking exams or not being in school, as these are triggers for them. However, others may be feeling very anxious about their future. The uncertainty, lack of teaching, learning and subsequent impact on their exam grades, many have struggled with the high amount of self-learning and their own motivation and focus whilst studying at home. In addition, the restrictions of online learning may have quashed their plans of further education going to university and left them feeling disappointed and lost. 

1. Re-establish a routine to help ease them into school life. Children have probably been waking up later or going to bed later. They may have enjoyed the opportunity to slow down, rest and be with their family, take time to exercise and eat well. To help them get ready for school, gradually get them back into their usual morning and bedtime routines as the return date draws nearer. 
2. Don’t put pressure on yourself. The transition back into school is likely to take some time. Many children will experience ups and downs. Try your best to support, reassure and comfort them, without putting pressure on yourself to make sure their homework is done or they settle into a new routine straightaway.
3. Think ahead. As well as reflecting on what has happened over the last few months, it is important to help children develop hope and a sense of excitement for the future. At a time like this, it can be hard to feel positive, but identifying the things that they can look forward to will help them to realise that the current situation won’t last forever and their feelings will change.
4. Seek support if you need it. Transitioning back to school after being in lockdown is no easy task. You may find that your child struggles to get back into school or experiences difficulties while they’re at school. If this is the case, reach out to your child’s school as soon as you can so that you can make them aware of the challenges and work together to support your child. If you are concerned about your child’s mental health and you think they need professional support, speak to the school, your GP or ourselves at The Wellness Consultancy about the best next step.

How to help:

• Help young people to understand how anxiety works; when they feel worried, this will settle down and become easier each time they go to school. Encourage them to notice their thoughts or feelings without acting on them, reassuring them that they will pass.
• Discuss coping strategies i.e. practising deep breathing, relaxation techniques or grounding techniques, where they can use all of their senses paying attention to what they can see, touch, hear, smell and taste. So that they feel more in control.
• Be supportive and reassuring but don’t spend too long saying goodbye as this could allow their anxiety to build up.
• If they have fears and anxiety about being away from home/parents then gradually practice separating and increase the amount of time you are away from them in the days leading up going back to school. It may be helpful when and where it is safe to do so, begin doing other ‘normal’ daily activities to get back into some routines, for example, going out in the car, walk to the shops or park.
• Allow young people to do something enjoyable or relaxing when they come home as they may have found the school day demanding.
• Encourage young people to get into a good sleep routine i.e. setting a time to turn off devices before bed, do something relaxing before bed, limit caffeine and high energy drinks.
• Encourage them to get some exercise.
• Incorporate something enjoyable and uplifting to do each day i.e. sing along to music, watch a comedy tv programme or film, drawing, painting, dancing, playing a game, taking pet for a walk, baking etc.
• If they like music encourage them to create a short playlist of 5 happy/energising songs and 5 calming/relaxing songs on their phone/Ipod. 

Helping you, help your child 

Remember that you have also been through a significant period of stress and also need space to support yourself.  Make time out for you to maintain your own emotional tolerance level.  It’s also good for children to see that the adults in their lives also need to prioritise their well-being and do healthy things.  

Reach out and speak to other parents and friends, perhaps join a forum where you can share experiences so you don’t feel as if you are alone in this.  

Take a look on our website thewellnessconsultancy.org for helpful guidance or contact us for support and advice – email: wellness-consultancy@outlook.com; Website: wellnessconsultancy.org                                 Contact Tel: 07759 516241 

Helen Hyland, Children and Young People’s Counsellor 

Sources of help for children and parents:

Young Minds – www.youngminds.org.uk

Covid-19 Guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and well being

www.gov.uk/government/publications