Supporting young people through times of transition

Times of change and transition can be tough. Many young people we support experience periods of anxiety and stress as they prepare to move from primary to secondary school, from school to college and from college to university or work. 

Recent research shows the year six to seven transition can be particularly difficult, with one in four students feeling a sharp and lasting decline in enjoyment, trust and ‘feeling safe’ as they move to secondary school. 

The research also found lower engagement was linked to absenteeism - or EBSA, emotionally based school absence - which is often rooted in anxiety and has increased significantly since the pandemic.

Dr Hannah Wilson, Kooth's head of clinical governance and clinical psychology lead commented: “There can be periods in a young person’s life when they’re feeling the effects of tangible life changes, like changing schools, going to college or perhaps changing friendship groups. This often happens at the same time as internal changes they’re also managing, in terms of brain development and changing hormones.”

There is often a change in what is expected of young people too. For example, a young person might be expected to take on extra responsibility, perhaps getting themselves to school or college, buying their own lunch from a busy canteen or taking more responsibility for their homework. 

As Hannah comments: “You’ve got a real period of transition in terms of someone’s general functioning and mental wellbeing and identity at the same time as a shift in what’s expected personally and academically of people as well.”

There is often a shift in the size of school too - for instance as an 11 year old leaves primary and enters secondary. They will be the youngest, perhaps among hundreds of older students, which may, from a social perspective, bring up additional uncertainties. On a practical level, they will also have to find their way to different classes, which can be a source of intense stress.

These periods can also offer unhelpful points of comparison. “As whole classes transition to new schools, it’s easy for students to compare their feelings to others who may seem to be adapting easily, which can cause a lot of worry and potential disengagement,” says Hannah.

Of course there are many reasons for disengagement or for students feeling worried about school; for parents or carers, trying to encourage open conversation around these feelings is important. 

According to Hannah, “We find change easier when we feel safe, when we feel supported, when we feel cared for. And that isn't always the case for a lot of people. And so trying to make a change at a time when we feel perhaps afraid or angry or unsupported is even harder and even less likely to kind of go well for us ultimately.”

How can we offer this support and help children who feel nervous or unsafe moving to secondary school?

Hannah suggests a few approaches:

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  Try to make things a little bit more ‘known’, even if that's just looking at pictures of the new school or classrooms or practising the walk to school before they start 

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  Find an object from home your child can hold at school, if they need to. This could be a small toy, some tactile material or even a pebble which might hold positive memories

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  Finding time each day to chat with your child about their day, giving them the space to talk through what's coming up for them, anything that's unexpected - or anything that they're finding difficult to navigate

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  Do familiar things after school or on weekends. That may be continuing with clubs, seeing family and friends, continuing a TV series or helping in the kitchen 

Times of transition can be unsettling - and often lonely. Encouraging young people to talk to friends and trusted adults - and perhaps using a service like Kooth where young people can discuss their feelings with a mental health professional and also benefit from moderated peer support - can all be hugely helpful in finding a path through uncertainty.