Thursday 3 September 2026
For children who are anxious about returning to school, Emily says helping them get back into their usual routine can make the transition easier.
“Going back to school after the summer break can feel challenging for many families and can bring mixed emotions,” says Emily.
“It’s normal for children and young people to have lots of feelings. There’ll be some that are really nervous, but also lots that are excited and others that aren’t bothered at all. All these things are completely fine and normal.”
Emily is part of the Wellbeing in Mind team, which works in schools and colleges across North Yorkshire and York. The team help students with mild to moderate mental health issues such as sleep difficulties, low mood, low self-esteem and anxiety.
Back in routine
“A lot of children finished school seven weeks ago, so it’s been a long summer,” says Emily. “Try and think about the bedtime routine and getting ready in the morning. Give them time to adjust – depending on what routine they’ve had over the summer.”
As well as getting back into routine, parents and carers can help their children manage specific worries by giving them time and space to talk about how they are feeling. Emily advises having an official worry time for children who are anxious about school.
Managing worries
“Having a dedicated time will help children manage their worries by focusing on them during a set time each day, instead of letting them distract them all day,” says Emily.
Listen to what they are worried about. Is it something you can do something about?
“If you can’t, think about ways you might help them let the worry go. If it’s a practical worry, you’ve got the opportunity to think and problem solve with them.
“We often use a worry tree in schools for children who are anxious – it’s a visual resource that gives a structure to understanding the difference between problems you can solve and hypothetical worries that are beyond your control.”
Focus on positives
While acknowledging worries is important, Emily says it can help to focus on the positive things about going back to school too. Having something to look forward to can help with this.
“Look towards the exciting things so you’re not just focusing on the negatives and the worries,” says Emily.
At the end of the first week of school or first day, plan something really nice afterwards – something your child is really going to enjoy.”
Setting goals
Looking beyond the first days back at school, can also help children feel more positive about the new school year ahead. Emily suggests setting goals, particularly for children going through a big transition at school.
“Sometimes it can be useful to think about a goal, especially for big transitions such as moving from year 6 to year 7,” says Emily.
“Think about goals that they want to achieve for the year. What do they want to get out of the year and what can they do? If they want to make new friends, how are they going to do that? Could they join a club or say hi to three people that they don’t know in their class?
You can keep track of their goals and reflect on them during the year. They can look back and see how much they have achieved.”
School mental health support service
Wellbeing in Mind, which is part of our trust, works directly with students and delivers training to teaching staff, parents and carers. They also work collaboratively with other specialist services – providing expert advice and helping children and young people get the right support.
The team, which consists of NHS professionals, focus on early identification and intervention and aim to tackle mental health issues before they escalate. They help reduce the need for more intensive mental health services further down the line.
