# data[].attributes.headline
Parent guide to supporting Perfectionism

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent guide to supporting Perfectionism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parents Guide to Supporting Perfectionism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wigan MHST Colleges Team Structure Sept 2025

# data[].attributes.body
college issue 12 October 25

# data[].attributes.body
College newsletter issue 13 Nov 25

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MHST College Newsletter Issue 13 November 2025

# data[].attributes.body
Newsletter issue 13 Nov 25

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Newsletter Issue 6 February 2025

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Newsletter Issue 4 December 2024 (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Newsletter Issue 3 November 2024

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
College Newsletter Issue 1 September 2024

# data[].attributes.headline
Dealing with change & transitions (Secondary)

# data[].attributes.subject
Dealing with change & transitions (Secondary)

# data[].attributes.headline
Dealing with Change & Transitions (Primary)

# data[].attributes.subject
Dealing with Change & Transitions (Primary)

# data[].attributes.headline
Coping with Pressure at School (YP booklet)

# data[].attributes.subject
Coping with Pressure at School (YP booklet)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top tips for making friends : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advice for children on forming and developing friendships.

# data[].attributes.headline
Helping Children after Long Holidays & Key Transitions

# data[].attributes.subject
Helping Children after Long Holidays & Key Transitions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NHS latest statistics show that 1 in 5 children had a probable mental disorder in 2023. It is more important than ever for teachers to be aware of the emotional wellbeing of the children in their class. Educational Consultant, Alis Rocca shares some strategies that might help teachers be aware of children's emotions and deal with possible anxiety around children returning to school. Read our Strategies to Support Children's Wellbeing fact sheet to find out more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strategies for Schools to help children after long holidays and key transitions | Nip in the Bud

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NHS latest statistics show that 1 in 5 children had a probable mental disorder in 2023. It is more important than ever for teachers to be aware of the emotional wellbeing of the children in their class. Educational Consultant, Alis Rocca shares some strategies that might help teachers be aware of children's emotions and deal with possible anxiety around children returning to school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
My moving up to secondary school booklet : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A booklet for pupils and their parents and carers to work through together, to help both parents/carers and children feel more prepared for the change.

# data[].attributes.headline
School Based Anxiety - Information booklet

# data[].attributes.subject
School Based Anxiety - Information booklet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brew Monday 2025 | Awareness Days Events Calendar 2025

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brew Monday, also known as Blue Monday, is an annual initiative in the United Kingdom that encourages people to connect with others over a cup of tea or

# data[].attributes.headline
December - Young Minds - What to do if you find Christmas difficult

# data[].attributes.subject
December - Young Minds - What to do if you find Christmas difficult

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What to do if you find Christmas difficult

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Beth writes about her experiences, and shares how she has found ways of making Christmas a wonderful time of the year.

# data[].attributes.headline
December - Kooth Christmas operating hours

# data[].attributes.subject
December - Kooth Christmas operating hours

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kooth and Qwell are available for support over the festive period

Free digital mental wellbeing support

Join the community and access free, safe and anonymous professional support online. There are
no waiting lists for support and no referral needed. Access to these platforms is available instantly
24/7. Support available includes:

Live chat or messaging with qualified mental health professionals

Self-help tools and activities

Online community

Kooth (for ages 10 to 25) www.kooth.com
Qwell (for ages 26+) www.qwell.io/

Live chat hours over the festive period

24th December (Christmas Eve) 12pm to 8pm

25th December (Christmas Day) 4pm to 8pm

26th December (Boxing Day) 12pm to 8pm

31st December (New Years Eve) 12pm to 8pm

1st January (New Years Day) 4pm to 8pm

Other days over the holiday period will follow their usual live chat hours of 12pm to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10pm on weekends.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kooth and Qwell live chat hours over the holiday period - Mental Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kooth and Qwell are available for support over the festive period

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Winter wellbeing: toolkit of resources : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources for students and staff to help support good mental wellbeing this winter.

# data[].attributes.headline
December - Top tips for Mental Health support during Christmas

# data[].attributes.subject
December - Top tips for Mental Health support during Christmas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top tips for looking after your mental health at Christmas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The festive season can be a time of joy and spending time with loved ones but it can also be a stressful and lonely period.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out how Christmas can affect your mental health, and what you can do to support your mental wellbeing during the festive season.

# data[].attributes.body
Action for Happiness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Daily actions to help you find new ways of moving forward.

# data[].attributes.headline
November  -Teacher Resources: Anti-Bullying

# data[].attributes.subject
November  -Teacher Resources: Anti-Bullying

# data[].attributes.body
BBC resources. Includes current and past 'live lessons'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anti-Bullying Week 2024: Teacher Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A collection of teaching resources for primary and secondary schools designed to complement Anti-Bullying Week programmes.

# data[].attributes.headline
November  - Virtual Assembly: Anti-Bullying Week

# data[].attributes.subject
November  - Virtual Assembly: Anti-Bullying Week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our World Kindness Day Assembly!

This year, we're kicking off Anti-Bullying Week with our virtual World Kindness Day Assembly! This will take place on Monday 13th November 2023 and is free for all primary schools. Our assemblies were fully booked last year, so make sure you register you interest here so you can be the first to find out when booking opens. We'll also be releasing a brand new World Kindness Day Resource Pack for schools.

We're super excited for this year's assembly. Last year, more than 45,000 children from 200 schools took part in our assemblies, and we're planning for 2023 to be even bigger!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anti-Bullying Week 2023 - School of Kindness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is Anti-Bullying Week, and how can your school get involved? Take part in free workshops, and download lesson plans and activities.

# data[].attributes.headline
November - NSPCC Podcast: Anti-Bullying in Schools

# data[].attributes.subject
November - NSPCC Podcast: Anti-Bullying in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Podcast: anti-bullying in schools | NSPCC Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What makes an effective anti-bullying policy for schools? Gain an insight into why it’s important to put your safeguarding procedures into practice.

# data[].attributes.headline
November - School Resources: Anti-Bullying

# data[].attributes.subject
November - School Resources: Anti-Bullying

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this section you will find everything you need to make Anti-Bullying Week happen in your schools across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. All provided free of charge.

# data[].attributes.headline
Wigan MHST Low Mood Workshops at the Wigan Family Hubs  

# data[].attributes.subject
Wigan MHST Low Mood Workshops at the Wigan Family Hubs  

# data[].attributes.body
We are pleased to offer a parent/carer workshop which outlines what low mood is, the symptoms, and how this impacts children and young people. We will provide support strategies to help manage the physical and emotional feelings of low mood. This workshop is 90 minutes long and will be delivered by the Mental Health Support Team in Schools as part of the Wigan Central Family Hub offer. If your child is struggling with low mood, this will be a useful, informative workshop for you! We look forward to meeting you.

The Meadows Young People's Centre

Ridyard Street, Wigan, WN5 9RQ

1pm - 2:30pm

Understanding low mood - The meadows 1 Tickets, Wed 23 Oct 2024 at 13:00 | Eventbrite

3pm - 4:30pm

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-low-mood-the-meadows-2-tickets-1029871622747

5pm - 6:30pm

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-low-mood-the-meadows-3-tickets-1029872284727

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Workshop to look at low mood, what can contribute and what can help.

# data[].attributes.body
Embrace delivers free online workshops over Zoom on a range of subjects that include:

Sleep Issues

Understanding ADHD

Responding to Behaviour

These sessions are open to parents/carers who live in the Wigan Borough

# data[].attributes.headline
September - Wellbeing activity ideas for Schools

# data[].attributes.subject
September - Wellbeing activity ideas for Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
World Mental Health Day is every year on the 10th October. The theme for 2023, set by the World Foundation of Mental Health, is 'Mental health is a universal human right'. In order to explore this theme in schools first we must understand what we mean by mental health. Mental health means feeling and functioning well day to day and overall, also known as flourishing, we all have a universal human right to flourish in life.

So how can you promote mental health in your school on this year's World Mental Health Day? In the video below I share ideas for schools to help them make this important day a success.

Anxiety theme for Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2023's theme was Anxiety. Anxious feelings are something that most of us experience at one time or another. But when those worrisome thoughts become overwhelming and begin to affect daily life-from exams, relationships, employment changes to everyday finances-anxiety can flare up into a bigger problem . It's important not only to recognize anxiety in ourselves but also know how best to manage it so we stay on top of our wellbeing.

As many as 1 in 6 children and young people are struggling with diagnosable mental health issues which include anxiety. Much more needs to be done to support the prevention of anxiety in children and young people.

We will update this article with the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 soon!

Mental Health Awareness Week in Schools: Ideas for Teachers and Staff Wellbeing

Mental Health Awareness Week is an important opportunity for us to check in with ourselves, your pupils and colleagues, and to think about what we can do to promote good mental health in our schools.

Here are some simple wellbeing activities that you can do with your staff team to help raise awareness and promote positive mental health in your school community. These would also make great activities for a staff wellbeing INSET day.

1. Why not start the day with a mindful minute? Encourage everyone to take a minute to sit quietly and focus on their breath. This simple mindfulness practice can help to centre ourselves and set a positive tone for the day ahead. This is also a very quick and easy activity to start mental health day with.

2. Take a break! Make sure that everyone takes a proper break for lunch - away from their desks if possible. Eating well and staying hydrated are essential for maintaining good mental health, so encourage your staff to make time for a healthy lunch. Maybe even provide some healthy snacks for them to munch on during the day!

3. Get moving! A little bit of exercise can do wonders for our mental wellbeing, so why not incorporate some gentle movement into the day? Even ten minutes of stretching or walking will make a difference. Alternatively, you could hold a 'virtual' fitness class at the end of the day - there are loads of great options on YouTube.

4. Connect with nature. If you're lucky enough to have outdoor space at your school, make use of it! Spend some time outside in the fresh air, surrounded by nature. If you can't get outside, bring nature into the classroom with some plants or flowers.

5. Check in with each other. At the end of the day, take some time as a team to check in with each other. How are we feeling? What's been tough today? What's been good? This is a chance for everyone to offload any concerns or stressors they might be carrying, and to receive support from their colleagues. Letting things build up can lead to burnout, so this regular check-in is an important part of preventive self-care.

Mental Health Awareness Week: Ideas for Pupils and Students

‍
Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgement. It's a great way to improve your mental wellbeing, and it's something that everyone can benefit from. Mindfulness is popular in schools a great way to improve mental wellbeing, and it's something that we can all benefit from regardless of our age or experience level.

There are lots of simple mindfulness and wellbeing activities that you can do with your pupils to help them relax and focus on the present moment. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Breathing exercises: Focusing on your breath is a great way to bring your attention to the present moment. You can try out different breathing exercises with your students, such as 4-7-8 breathing (breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, breathe out for 8 counts) or belly breathing (place one hand on your stomach and breathe so that your hand rises and falls with your breath).

2. Sense scavenger hunt: This is a great activity for young children. Get them to pay attention to all of their senses by going on a scavenger hunt around the classroom or school grounds. They can tick things off their list as they find them, such as something that smells nice, something that feels soft, etc.

3. 5 things you can see/hear/touch: This is another mindfulness exercise that is suitable for all ages. Get your students to close their eyes and think of 5 things that they can see, 5 things that they can hear, and 5 things that they can touch. This exercise will help them to focus on the present moment and notice the world around them.

4. Gratitude journal: Encourage your students to start a gratitude journal where they write down 3 things that they're grateful for each day. This could be anything from having a delicious dinner to being able to play with their pet dog. Focusing on the positive things in our lives is a great way to boost our mental wellbeing.

5.Strengths spotting : This activity is all about focusing on our strengths and the positive things about ourselves. Get your students to think of 3 things that they're good at, 3 things that they're proud of, and 3 things that make them happy. This exercise will help boost their self-esteem and confidence essential for mental health and wellbeing

Mental Health Day #HelloYellow, Supporting Children and Young People

An important campaign on or around mental health day is #HellowYellow this is a campaign by the mental health charity YoungMinds, which encourages everyone to wear yellow on World Mental Health Day (10th October) to show their support for young people's mental health.

There are lots of ways that you can get involved with Hello Yellow at your school. Here are just a few ideas:

Encourage everyone to wear yellow on World Mental Health Day.

Make yellow ribbons to hand out or sell.

Hold a yellow non-uniform day and ask for donations.

Bake sale - make and sell yellow cakes or biscuits.

Sponsor a child to take part in a sponsored activity such as a sponsored walk or silence.

Wear something yellow every day for the whole week leading up to World Mental Health Day.

Making Mental Health a Priority Every Day

Mental Health Awareness day or week is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and start important conversations with pupils, staff and parents. However, it's important to make mental health a priority every day, not just on one day of the year. There are lots of simple things that you can do to support mental health in your school community:

1. Continue to encourage open conversation about mental health between staff, pupils and parents.

2. Share information and resources about mental health, such as articles, books, websites, helplines which can be shared through mental health displays and notice boards and newsletters. Download our free poster for sharing mental health strategies with pupils here.

3. Promote healthy coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, self-care and resilience etc.

4. Encourage positive thinking and self-compassion with activities that support the development of well-being and resilience.

5. Plan opportunities to embed mental health into the curriculum through implicit and explicit teaching of wellbeing and resilience strategies.

6. Continue to foster a sense of belonging, community and connectedness within the school environment.

7. Support staff and pupils to find opportunities that develop autonomy, relatedness and competence, also known as self-determination theory - the key human needs for wellbeing.

8. Most importantly, continue to check in with pupils, staff and parents to see how they're doing and offer support where needed.

9. Prioritise staff wellbeing as part of your whole school approach. Without good staff mental health and wellbeing it is almost impossible to have good student wellbeing.

Whatever you decide to do to continue to focus on school mental health beyond mental health awareness day through your whole school approach, you must do it consistently and develop a shared understanding of strategies that protect mental health and develop wellbeing for all.

Final Thoughts and Tips

Mental Health Awareness Day is an important opportunity for us all to prioritise mental wellbeing for the whole school community.

Making mental health a priority every day will help to create a positive school environment that supports the mental health and wellbeing of everyone in the community.

If you would like to learn more about our approach to whole school mental health and wellbeing access our free leading whole school mental health workshop inside our wellbeing academy.

If you would like to learn practical activities that improve mental health and wellbeing enrol on our Wellbeing Toolkit Course. If you need support to lead a strategic approach to school mental health then access our SMHL Wellbeing Pathway course inside our DfE assured Wellbeing Club.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental Health Awareness Day: Wellbeing Ideas and Activities for Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
World Mental Health Awareness Day is a great opportunity for schools to prioritise mental health for pupils, staff, teachers and the whole school community. Find out a range of practical wellbeing activities and ideas for students or staff.

# data[].attributes.headline
September -5 ways to wellbeing resources

# data[].attributes.subject
September -5 ways to wellbeing resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An ELSA requested a PowerPoint on the 5 ways to wellbeing. Suitable for KS2 upwards. This goes through the 5 things you need to try and do each day to help your wellbeing.

This PowerPoint is protected from editing to ensure it works correctly for you. When you first go to open it you will be asked to input a password to edit or to click read only. Please click Read Only You do not need a password, that is purely for our benefit. Please read the instructions prior to opening the PowerPoint.

You do need PowerPoint installed on your computer or on your IPAD to ensure it runs correctly. You can download a FREE APP for PowerPoint from the Apple store.

The following download is zipped so please open on a computer or laptop. It may not open on a phone or tablet unless you have an app installed.

Download: 5 a day to wellbeing

For more products you might find helpful

Amazon surprise find: Bubble pop sensory toy - great calming activity. Who doesn't like to pop bubbles? This can be used over and over again.

Other Resources you will love!

This is a huge pack of resources to help children's wellbeing. You can glue the pocket into an exercise book and then add things to...

£3.00

This Wellbeing bundle pack will help to promote good mental health. It includes three Good Mental Health resources, a questions pack, a display pack and...

£5.00

This wellbeing week poster set would be a great daily activity for pupils in September when schools go back. Each day has a focus. Mighty...

£2.50

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 ways to wellbeing - ELSA Support for emotional literacy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An ELSA requested a PowerPoint on the 5 ways to wellbeing. Suitable for KS2 upwards. This goes through the 5 things you need to try and do each day to help your wellbeing. This PowerPoint is protected from editing to ensure it works correctly for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Accompanying resources

We have developed a Teacher Toolkit for school staff to use alongside the animation which includes:

A lesson plan

An Assembly PowerPoint

An accompanying Assembly Plan

Tips for talking for parents and carers booklet

Various resources and classroom exercises

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Talking mental health: animation & teacher toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Talking Mental Health is an animation and accompanying teacher toolkit designed to help begin conversations about mental health in the classroom and beyond.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
World Mental Health Day : Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CAMHS Practitioner Advice Line 01452 894272 Guidance for professionals in Gloucestershire working with young people with mental health or emotional wellbeing concerns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support YoungMinds this World Mental Health Day by saying #HelloYellow. Wear yellow, raise vital funds for YoungMinds and show young people they're not alone.

# data[].attributes.body
Please speak to your schools designated EMHP to arrange any of the WSA activities that the MHST team offers.

# data[].attributes.body
Please speak to your schools designated EMHP to arrange any of the WSA activities that the MHST team offers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
MHST Guide For Parents/Carers - September 2024 

# data[].attributes.headline
MHST School & College Allocations Sept 2024

# data[].attributes.subject
MHST School & College Allocations Sept 2024

# data[].attributes.body
Please note: school allocations are subject to change depending on the needs of the service, school engagement, recruitment of new staff and practitioner capacity.

# data[].attributes.headline
Keeping Safe - Service & safety information for young people

# data[].attributes.subject
Keeping Safe - Service & safety information for young people

# data[].attributes.body
The 'Bedford Spirit' podcast- featuring Wigan MHST EMHP Megan Jones talking about 5 ways to wellbeing, self-care including diet, exercise and sleep, conversation starters around mental health and using the stress bucket.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Bedford SPIRIT, Episode 5 Your Child's Mental Health

# data[].attributes.body
The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ youth charity empowering young people to be proud of who they are. The Proud Trust delivers youth work and 1-1 support across Greater Manchester. The charity also runs a national training and inclusion programme for schools, Live Chat, and manages Manchester’s LGBT+ Centre, The Proud Place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ organisation that supports LGBT+ young people through youth groups, peer support, mentoring programs and the Proud Connections chat service.

# data[].attributes.body
The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ youth charity empowering young people to be proud of who they are. The Proud Trust delivers youth work and 1-1 support across Greater Manchester. The charity also runs a national training and inclusion programme for schools, Live Chat, and manages Manchester’s LGBT+ Centre, The Proud Place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ organisation that supports LGBT+ young people through youth groups, peer support, mentoring programs and the Proud Connections chat service.

# data[].attributes.body
Guidance for school staff on supporting pupils with difficulties with mental wellbeing and school attendance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School attendance and mental wellbeing 2024

# data[].attributes.headline
Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource

# data[].attributes.subject
Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got advice to help you explore what's going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can't go to school.

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

It's often difficult for your child to articulate the problem. They may be in a heightened state of stress and not know why or feel able to explain. Your child probably wants to feel able to be in school, just as much as you want them to be there. In many cases it just doesn't feel possible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, it might feel incredibly stressful and tiring. You might be worried about when they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments. Things are probably feeling tough for your child too.

During this time, it's important to keep working with teachers and other staff to try strategies that can help your child get back to school. Keep encouraging them to take achievable steps towards attending too. When the right support is in place, it's often easier for a young person to get back into their usual routine if they can return to school as quickly as possible.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support. Find out how to do this further down the page.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting support from mental health services.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.
This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got advice to help you explore what's going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can't go to school.

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

It's often difficult for your child to articulate the problem. They may be in a heightened state of stress and not know why or feel able to explain. Your child probably wants to feel able to be in school, just as much as you want them to be there. In many cases it just doesn't feel possible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, it might feel incredibly stressful and tiring. You might be worried about when they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments. Things are probably feeling tough for your child too.

During this time, it's important to keep working with teachers and other staff to try strategies that can help your child get back to school. Keep encouraging them to take achievable steps towards attending too. When the right support is in place, it's often easier for a young person to get back into their usual routine if they can return to school as quickly as possible.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support. Find out how to do this further down the page.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting support from mental health services.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.
This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
My moving up to secondary school booklet : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A booklet for pupils and their parents and carers to work through together, to help both parents/carers and children feel more prepared for the change.

# data[].attributes.headline
Coping with Pressure at School (YP booklet)

# data[].attributes.subject
Coping with Pressure at School (YP booklet)

# data[].attributes.headline
10 tips for staff to help children settle into Primary School 

# data[].attributes.subject
10 tips for staff to help children settle into Primary School 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 practical tips for school staff to help children settle when starting primary school : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Useful tips for school staff to help children settle when starting primary school or to support those who change school regularly.

# data[].attributes.headline
Improved Family Relationships and Parenting (Wigan offers)

# data[].attributes.subject
Improved Family Relationships and Parenting (Wigan offers)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Improved family relationships and parenting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Improved family relationships and parenting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wigan Safeguarding Childrens Board - Homepage

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wigan Safeguarding Children's Board - Information and resources for children, parents and professionals about making sure children are safe and protected.

# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding ADHD - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding ADHD - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is a 2 hour workshop presented by Andy Sampson, Behaviour Support Coordinator for Embrace.

Andy covers his own experience of ADHD, from the point of view of a parent, but also his own reflection on his experiences growing up with ADHD.

Topics covered include:

Types of ADHD

Wider understanding

Co-existing issues

Positive responses

What helps?

Please note: This workshop does not cover behaviour strategies, but does explore ideas of how your child can be supported through understanding.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (aug/sep2024) - understanding adhd

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (aug/sep2024) - understanding adhd tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Aug/Sep2024) - Understanding ADHD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Aug/Sep2024) - Understanding ADHD - Friday, 6 September 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Responding to Behaviour - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Responding to Behaviour - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (sep/oct 2024) - responses to behaviour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (sep/oct 2024) - responses to behaviour tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Sep/Oct 2024) - Responses To Behaviour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Sep/Oct 2024) - Responses To Behaviour - Friday, 4 October 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sleep - Embrace Online Workshop (Nov 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Sleep - Embrace Online Workshop (Nov 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About this event

This is a 2 hour workshop for parent/carers of children who struggle with sleep and explores the importance of sleep, how we sleep and useful strategies to help with:

Getting to sleep

Staying asleep

Getting up in the morning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (oct/nov 2024) - sleep issuezzz...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (oct/nov 2024) - sleep issuezzz... tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Oct/Nov 2024) - Sleep Issuezzz...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Oct/Nov 2024) - Sleep Issuezzz... - Friday, 1 November 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding ADHD - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding ADHD - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is a 2 hour workshop presented by Andy Sampson, Behaviour Support Coordinator for Embrace.

Andy covers his own experience of ADHD, from the point of view of a parent, but also his own reflection on his experiences growing up with ADHD.

Topics covered include:

Types of ADHD

Wider understanding

Co-existing issues

Positive responses

What helps?

Please note: This workshop does not cover behaviour strategies, but does explore ideas of how your child can be supported through understanding.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (aug/sep2024) - understanding adhd

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (aug/sep2024) - understanding adhd tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Aug/Sep2024) - Understanding ADHD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Aug/Sep2024) - Understanding ADHD - Friday, 6 September 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Responding to Behaviour - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Responding to Behaviour - Embrace Online Workshop (2 dates - 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (sep/oct 2024) - responses to behaviour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (sep/oct 2024) - responses to behaviour tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Sep/Oct 2024) - Responses To Behaviour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Sep/Oct 2024) - Responses To Behaviour - Friday, 4 October 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sleep - Embrace Online Workshop (Nov 2024)

# data[].attributes.subject
Sleep - Embrace Online Workshop (Nov 2024)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About this event

This is a 2 hour workshop for parent/carers of children who struggle with sleep and explores the importance of sleep, how we sleep and useful strategies to help with:

Getting to sleep

Staying asleep

Getting up in the morning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (oct/nov 2024) - sleep issuezzz...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
embrace online workshop (oct/nov 2024) - sleep issuezzz... tickets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Embrace Online Workshop (Oct/Nov 2024) - Sleep Issuezzz...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eventbrite - Embrace Wigan and Leigh presents Embrace Online Workshop (Oct/Nov 2024) - Sleep Issuezzz... - Friday, 1 November 2024 - Find event and ticket information.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental health and wellbeing calendar: summer term 2024 : Mentally Healthy Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A calendar of curriculum themes and occasions linked to mental health for the 2024 summer term, with activity ideas and suggestions for each theme.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We work with children and young people aged 8-18 (and up to 25 if you have a disability) if they’re experiencing difficulties…

# data[].attributes.body
Mental health and education experts at Anna Freud hold a free seminar every term on a different topic linked to mental health and wellbeing.

Past seminars can be viewed online here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mental health and education experts at the Anna Freud Centre hold a free seminar every term on a different topic linked to mental health and wellbeing.

The seminars feature a range of experts from many different organisations, including the Early Intervention Foundation, UK Trauma Council and Education Support. The seminars always feature a speaker who currently works in a school or college, sharing practical advice and reflecting on their experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental health in schools and colleges: free seminars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mental health and education experts at the Anna Freud Centre hold a free seminar every term on a different topic linked to mental health and wellbeing. The seminars feature a range of experts from many different organisations, including the Early Intervention Foundation, UK Trauma Council and Education Support.

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting an Anxious Child (5-11) - Silvercloud online programme

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting an Anxious Child (5-11) - Silvercloud online programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A safe space for young people where you can relax, do your homework, or work on creative projects.

# data[].attributes.headline
Keeping It All Inside - A Guide to Autism in Girls

# data[].attributes.subject
Keeping It All Inside - A Guide to Autism in Girls

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting an Anxious Child (5-11) - Silvercloud online programme

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting an Anxious Child (5-11) - Silvercloud online programme