\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a024 per cent are worried about changing schools, class or teachers, rising to 53 per cent of 11-year-olds as they move to secondary school.
\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a019 per cent worry that someone they know might be bullied, or continue to be bullied and that they won\u2019t have anyone to talk to. 53 per cent of 8 year olds said their friends had experienced someone hurting them, such as kicking or punching them.
\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a070 per cent said this bullying had made their friends feel upset, 60 per cent sad and 40 per cent anxious.<\/p>\n
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Barnardo\u2019s Chief Executive, Javed Khan\u00a0said,\u201cOur TV advert makes for challenging viewing, but we want to show the very real fear and distress experienced by many children accessing Barnardo\u2019s services.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a former teacher, I know that children returning to school after the summer worry about whether the work will be too hard, that they won\u2019t like their new school, or that they might get picked on by other children. And for the vulnerable children Barnardo\u2019s supports, this often comes on top of other challenges \u2013 such as a history of sexual abuse, criminal exploitation, or being in the care system.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne-in-eight children aged 5 to19 in England has at least one mental health disorder and many reach crisis point before receiving treatment. Our UK-wide specialist mental health services see first-hand how anxieties have the potential to cause long lasting trauma. But as our new TV ad demonstrates, with the right support from a trusted adult, children can recover from difficult experiences and work towards a positive future.\u201d<\/p>\n
In terms of bullying, the YouGov results also reveal that:<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Four out of five children (77 per cent) know a friend who has experienced a form of bullying.
\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a031 per cent of 13 year olds said their friends had been sent rude messages online.
\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a041 per cent of 15 year olds said someone had said a friend has experienced someone telling others fake things about them online.<\/p>\n
More than a third (35 per cent) said their friends had not wanted to go to school or college because of bullying, increasing to 44 per cent for 12 and 13-year-olds.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the majority of children said they would tell a friend (44 per cent), family member (77 per cent) or teacher (53 per cent) if another child or young person did or said something to them that made them feel upset.<\/p>\n
Barnardo\u2019s wants schools to recognise the important role they play and to provide safe spaces where children can talk to a trusted adult about their concerns.<\/p>\n
The charity is calling for the Government and Ofsted to prioritise children\u2019s mental health and wellbeing and make sure all children; parents and carers have access to education and guidance on safe social media use.<\/p>\n
Case study: 11-year-old Shannon<\/p>\n
Shannon was referred to Barnardo\u2019s mental health service Harrow Horizons at the end of last year because she was repeatedly bullied at school.<\/p>\n
The 11-year-old said,\u00a0\u201cI had jokes made about me and I was called fat. My glasses were broken. No one helped and I didn\u2019t really tell anyone. I also experienced racist, homophobic and transphobic bullying and was repeatedly picked on. I was called \u2018fat, bisexual and transgender\u2019 and everyday people would say things that would hurt me inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
But through counselling Shannon has become more resilient and her confidence has increased. She added,\u00a0\u201cWhen people are unkind to me at school I try to move away from them and keep my distance. If someone does say something to me, I try to either tell them that it doesn\u2019t affect me as much anymore or I speak to someone.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now I can cope better. For other young people who are experiencing problems at school, I think it\u2019s important for them to know that there is always someone out there that can help you. Don\u2019t be embarrassed to speak to them because doing so can help you. Even if the bullying doesn\u2019t stop straight away; it will in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barnardo\u2019s ambassador, reality TV star Sam Thompson\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cI think that everyone experiences anxieties in some way. For me it manifests itself in feelings and thoughts that aren\u2019t \u2018like me\u2019. I spent 25 years of my life thinking that it was just a part of who I am and it wasn\u2019t until it all got too much that I broke down to my mum and realised that it\u2019s okay to ask for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an adult, anxiety is one of the most horrific things I have ever experienced so I can\u2019t imagine what it must be like experiencing it all as a child or teenager too. No one should have to deal with their mental health and anxiety alone so please do what I did, and what the girl in the Barnardo\u2019s advert did and find someone to speak to. Be honest, be open and I promise it does get better with time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Barnardo\u2019s tips on how to help your child feel ready for the start of term and settle in<\/p>\n
Think about what could help them take on the day:\u00a0Weall have little things that can make us feel more like ourselves. It\u2019s worth talking to your child about what makes them feel safe – what we sometimes call \u201cputting our armour on\u201d. This might be styling their hair in a way they like, having a conversation with a friend or family member, eating their favourite breakfast, doing power poses in the mirror or doing something fun the night before.<\/p>\n
Reflect and celebrate at the end of the day:\u00a0Consider what your child might want at the end of the day; it could be a chance to chat with you, seeing or speaking to a friend, having their favourite meal, or simply writing in a diary. Celebrating each day at a time is incredibly important.<\/p>\n
Help them to speak up about their needs:\u00a0If there are particular things your child would like their school\/new teacher to know about them, but feel unable to tell them in person, you could work with them to create a \u2018pupil passport\u2019 to let their new teacher know. This can include useful information such as \u201cI like it when I\u2019m sat near the front of the room so I can see the door\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t like it when people stand too close to me\u201d. This can be created with words, pictures or anything creative.<\/p>\n
Reassure them they’re not alone:\u00a0It’s completely normal for your child to feel worried and anxious about starting a new school or new year\/term. It\u2019s also important that your child knows that they can talk to you about this, so try to talk to them about how they feel about going back to school. If they\u2019re comfortable to talk about it with others, you could suggest they speak to children who may be in a similar situation. That way, they can share their experiences and go through the school transition together.<\/p>\n
Barnardo\u2019s five things you need to know about anxiety<\/p>\n
1. Anxiety presents itself in different ways<\/p>\n
Anxiety can look different from one person to another. There are immediate physical symptoms that might be recognised easily – like shaking, sweating and going red – but there can be other symptoms that aren\u2019t obvious, like difficulty sleeping, restlessness and stomach aches that can come and go.<\/p>\n
Other signs – like racing thoughts, finding it difficult to concentrate and wanting to withdraw from social situations – are harder to spot and might not be obvious to a child.<\/p>\n
2. Children need help to identify their anxiety too<\/p>\n
In fact, some children can find it hard to identify thoughts (and distinguish them from feelings) altogether. However, it\u2019s important to be aware of thoughts to be able to identify anxiety.<\/p>\n
Anxious children tend to express their anxiety in their thoughts. They may jump to negative conclusions about situations. For example, if a parent is late coming home one day, they might worry that this is because there\u2019s been an accident. Anxious children are also more likely to have negative thoughts about themselves and may think they\u2019re not good enough, not well liked enough or bound to fail – which can lead to them avoiding certain situations. Getting them talking about their thoughts can help.<\/p>\n
3. Talking about anxiety can help<\/p>\n
Communication is vital in getting to the root of a child\u2019s anxiety. Gently asking the right questions can help them to find the thought that is troubling them. For example, if they suddenly show signs of being scared or worried, ask them to describe what they think might be happening to make them feel this way. Talking it through can help lead them to finding the thought at the root of the anxiety.<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve identified this, you can work together to discuss how helpful these thoughts are, or how likely a potential outcome might be. There\u2019s more help on this in our guide to coping with anxiety.<\/p>\n
4. Experiencing anxiety is normal<\/p>\n
Anxiety becomes an issue when it impacts a person frequently and when worries are difficult to manage, but anxiety itself is normal and common. Most adults will be able to recall a time or a situation which made them feel anxious. It might have been down to an exam, a ride on a rollercoaster or speaking in front of lots of people. It\u2019s totally normal to experience it at some point in life. This is important to remember and can help children feel better about dealing with their own anxiety.<\/p>\n
5. There are ways to manage anxiety and anxious thoughts<\/p>\n
Your child doesn\u2019t need to feel they\u2019re alone in trying to cope with anxiety. And it can be helpful to remind them that while anxiety can feel overwhelming and very uncomfortable at the time, it will pass and will not harm them.<\/p>\n
Our practitioners use different exercises to help young people control their anxiety as and when it appears and you can use these too.<\/p>\n
Barnardo\u2019s President Natasha Kaplinsky\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cAs a mother of two young children it is of great concern to hear that so many children feel anxious returning to school. Triggers include workload and bullying, and with so many children owning smart phones and other mobile devices, pressures inevitably build and can feel intense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s so important that all children have a trusted adult they can turn to about their concerns, meaning that any problems are addressed early, preventing the development of future mental health problems. Although it may be a tough watch for some families, the new Barnardo\u2019s advert is important as it highlights the charity\u2019s specialist support services designed to help children deal with anxiety and other challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
Join the conversation:<\/p>\n
#Barnardos
\n#BelieveInChildren
\n@Barnardos
\n@Barnardos
\n@BarnardosUK<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Difficult classwork, moving schools and being bullied are the top concerns children have as they start the new school year, a survey out today reveals. The YouGov survey for the UK\u2019s longest running children\u2019s charity\u00a0Barnardo\u2019s\u00a0is published on the same day the charity broadcasts a ground-breaking TV advert highlighting the importance of mental health support services […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1830,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,2,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-featured","category-philanthropists"],"yoast_head":"\n