CHILDLINE: Helping young people experiencing the stress and anxiety of exams

Children told Childline they felt 'drained from revising', 'lonely and isolated', and found it hard to cope with the pressure of exams.

No two days are the same for a Childline counsellor, but around this time each year we know children and young people across the country are experiencing stress and anxiety as they sit their exams or await their results.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, Childline delivered 1,819 counselling sessions with children and young people about exam and revision stress, with the highest number of contacts on these topics 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 and to ask for support.

Some felt pressure from parents and teachers to do well, pressure to compare their results with their friends’, and some were losing sleep due to stress and anxiety.

It’s important to remind young people that they never need to feel alone with their worries. Even if they don’t feel comfortable seeking support from parents or teachers, Childline counsellors are available around the clock to hear their concerns.

Likewise, the Childline website has lots of tools and advice to support children and young people here in the North East and across the UK who might be feeling stressed, as well as moderated message boards where they can get support from others their own age.

If your child appears worried about their 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 and their feelings are valid.

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, and it’s all free and easily available at www.childline.org.uk

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