THIS time of year can be an extremely stressful period for young people, as they sit their exams.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, Childline delivered 1,819 counselling sessions with children and young people related to exam and revision stress, and the highest number of contacts on these topics were received in May.

Children told us they felt “drained from revising”, “lonely and isolated” and found it hard to cope with the pressure of exams. Some felt pressure from parents and teachers to do well, pressure to compare their results with friends’ and some were losing sleep due to stress and anxiety. A 14-year-old girl told our volunteers: “I’m not coping at all with pressure around exams. I don’t have any coping mechanisms except just ‘getting through it’. I’m finding it really hard to ask for support, but I feel better knowing I can share this with Childline.”

These words echo those of many young people that contact us and while Childline will always be there for them, it’s important that children feel supported at home too. Having regular informal discussions about their wellbeing and what’s happening in their lives is a great first step. Try to make it as much a part of your routine as asking how their day was.

Some things they tell you will be upsetting but try to remain calm and help them feel heard and understood. Just knowing you’re there to chat when things aren’t going badly means they’re more likely to come to you in the future if something happens and they need help. It’s important to remind young people that they never need to feel alone with their worries, that their feelings are valid and that they know they can be honest about how they’re feeling.

If your child appears worried about exams, try to reassure them that you’re there to support them. Do it by text or on the phone if they’d prefer, but let them know it’s okay for them to be honest. It could be worthwhile exploring the Childline website together, to highlight some of the healthy ways to cope that it shares. Breathing exercises, yoga and mindfulness techniques can help young people’s moods, it’s all available at childline.org.uk

If a young person feels they have a network of support, whether in school, with peers, at home or through organisations like Childline, it helps them take the first steps to tackle struggles they’re facing and can help them set a course for a more positive future after their exam period.

These tips can help if your child is struggling with exam stress, but are also useful for more general mental health, anxiety or other wellbeing issues. It can be difficult for adults to remember how young people might be feeling during times of pressure like this, but for their sake, it’s important that we try.