Worries about coming to school

School is about lessons and so much more!

Time away from school, friends, and in-class learning should always be avoided - school time is precious.

We understand that some children, and parents do get anxious about school.

For children, it can be hard to understand and communicate these feelings of anxiety and worry. 

If you, or your child, is having worries about attending school, please talk it through with the school. They will have the expertise to help.

Read on for tips for helping your child overcome anxiety around coming to school.

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Talk to your child. Make sure that your child knows that talking to you is a safe space. Find a time to talk to them without any distractions or interruptions so you can give them your full attention.

Conversation starters can help. Try sharing stories or looking at materials such as our Attendance Campaign posts on social media.  

Let your child know that their feelings are valid and encourage them to try and explain how they feel.

With younger children you can help your child to name their emotions physically. For example: “When I feel scared, I feel a knot in my tummy. I’m wondering if you may feel scared about going back to school and how that is making you feel.”

Make time to check in with your child daily and check how they are feeling. You can use visuals to support this, like a traffic light, number scale or smiley, straight and sad faces.