Hi there,

It’s natural to feel nervous when you’re going back to school after a long break. It’s okay for it to take time to adjust, remember that you deserve any support you’re being given.

Feeling like you can’t control things can be difficult to think about. You’re right that you can’t control how other people react, but you can control how you respond. It can help to think about what you’d like to say if people ask you questions. Knowing how much you want to share or not can help you feel more confident. Try to think as well about what you’d want to do if someone asked you something that upset you.

It’s great that your school are being supportive about you returning. Part of making sure you’re feeling safe going back can be helping you to feel comfortable with your classmates. It can help to think about what the school could do to make that easier.

Sometimes making things easier can be asking for the school to explain things to people, sometimes you might just want to settle in quietly. Letting your school know what you’re worried about what will most help you can make it easier for them support you.

Getting into a new routine can feel scary, but it’ll also get easier with time. Try to set small goals each week about what you’d like to achieve. This could be you getting into school, talking to people, or even just sharing what it’s like.

Remember, if things ever start to feel overwhelming, Childline is here for you. Our counsellors are here to support you any time.

Take care,

Sam