It’s that time of year again! When summer t-shirts are swapped for school ties, beach shorts replaced by crisp white shirts, and sandals in shoe-racks switch places with shiny new school shoes.

Alongside these replacements, there are other transitions happening that may not be so obvious. As school timetables are given out, our home routines change to necessitate earlier mornings and homework in the evenings. For young people, their world is opened up to more people, offline and online, bringing new challenges and risks. With a plethora of experiences and influences impacting young people, there are health and wellbeing issues to consider.

We’ve put together this guide to help you help the child or young person in your care navigate these new transitions as they go back to school.

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Alongside the flurry of excitement the new school term brings, there is also the uncomfortable fluttering of butterflies in stomachs. First-day nerves are a common occurrence for most students (and teachers and parents too!) but they can quickly become overwhelming. Being educated online is a very different experience to spending a whole school day away from home, away from familiar surroundings. Given that many pupils have spent the majority of the last 18 months being educated at home, this year’s return-to-school could be even more nerve-wracking than usual.

There are many reasons why a young person’s school environment might look new to them. They might be going into secondary school for the first time, have moved house during lockdown, or are starting with a new year group of students. Even if they return to the same school with the same classmates, it may have been a while since they’ve seen their peers face-to-face.

A young person could be worried about being bullied, especially if they have had problems in the past or experienced cyberbullying during the pandemic.

Some young people might be experiencing anxiety over the risks of being infected with coronavirus or ‘bringing it home’ to vulnerable family members. They may struggle with new rules to follow or whether others will comply with the restrictions. It is important to make sure these anxieties are acknowledged and to talk them through their school’s rules and regulations.

As a parent or carer, you may have your own concerns and worries about your child’s return to school. There are new pressures, new people, and new academic challenges ahead. There is also worry about how your child or young person is feeling and whether they are coping with the emotional stress of being back at school. Here are our top three tips on how you can help:

It can be difficult for a child or young person to talk about how they feel. Encourage them by creating a space that is comfortable for them. If they have a favourite place to go for a walk or a food place they love, try taking them there to ease off any stress. You could even join in a favourite game they play! Just watching and asking questions about the game can be the start of meaningful engagement.

Open ended questions with attentive responses help your young person see that you care about their wants and needs. Try asking what their ideal first day/week would look like, and then do what you can to help make that happen. It’s easy to let our own priorities takeover, but it might be helpful to make some exceptions to the normal routine to support your young person. A planned trip to the cinema or their favourite meal after the first day could be a welcome distraction to think about.

It isn’t always possible to curtail the chaos in a busy family home – last-minute breakfast spillages and lost PE bags happen! Try to create as stress-free an environment at home as possible before the ‘big day back’. For example, a rushed morning on the first day could add to a young person’s anxiety. Preparing lunches and school bags ahead of time will keep you ready. You could even ask the young person to be a part of the process, as the act of of getting organise might let them mentally prepare too.

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During the summer months, it’s common for ‘house rules’ to slip and for things to become more relaxed. Lockdowns and at-home learning have especially impacted things like screen time limits and bedtimes. With the new school year in tow, it’s important to get these routines back into place.

Just how we check that new school shoes fit and everything is ready to go into their new backpack, consider this a time to check your young people are just as ready-to-go into the online world too. When was the last time you and your family members checked your social media privacy settings? Before you share those first-day photos online, be sure you know exactly who can access them. Even if you think all your social media accounts are set to private, there might be an update you missed. While you’re doing that, take the opportunity to change your passwords too!

Here are some easy-to-follow points about privacy and safety online that are especially important for the start of a new term:

The term ‘sharenting’ refers to parents sharing images and videos of their children online, usually on their social media pages. There is nothing wrong with wanting to proudly show off your child in their new uniform as they head off to another year of school. However, there are some safety concerns to take into consideration.

According to Ofcom, 42% of parents share photos of their children, with half of these parents posting photos at least once a month.

Oftentimes, first day photos give away a lot of information: which school a child or young person is attending, how old they are, and sometimes even where you live (many of these photos are taken outside of the front door with the house number and street name visible). This is all private information. The photo could be seen by more people than you intended to share it with, depending on your safety settings, and you may be unintentionally aiding a predator or bully.

Also, a child may not want their photo to go online! Even from a young age, it’s important to ask permission before you share a photo of the child in your care. It will help them feel in control of their image and will teach them about the importance of consent. Here’s our safeguarding checklist to help you discuss this together:

With online education and classmates keeping in touch through social media and gaming, the school day no longer ends when the bell rings. Just as you support your children and young people through their first few days back, they will need your guidance throughout the school year and beyond. You will find up-to-date information, support, and help on our blog. You can also subscribe to our free Safeguarding Hub newsletter for up-to-date safeguarding alerts as they happen.