With the closure of schools due to coronavirus, people are wondering if this means the end of education for the academic year. Children in their final year at school and young people who should be sitting A-level exams are worried about the next step in their career whether that be into a job, college or university. University students are worrying about job prospects when they finish their degree in May. Are you worried about what your next steps are for your education or career? Are you worried that you may not have a job at the end of lockdown? Are you worried your child won’t get the education they need?

Many Worries and What is Next for Education

There are a lot of worries around what is next for the UK and the exit from lockdown strategy, but a lot of those worries are around education. It affects a big portion of the population whether it be school, college or university and at this moment, education services are all closed except for key worker children.

Should Schools Re-open?

Leaving school at any level can be daunting, even without coronavirus. This could mean a lot of young people will have anxiety about their next steps. However, some Manchester parents seem to be divided on whether schools should re-open in June or July with many wanting their children to receive the education they need but others are worried about the health and safety risks with the virus.

Making sure that your child is comfortable talking through their worries about leaving school, going back to school or starting somewhere new can be difficult. We all need a safe place to talk about our anxieties.

Those young people who were due to sit their a-levels around this time also have anxiety about what they will do after they receive their grades. Many would have planned a job or university but with coronavirus, things are different. Again, make sure you speak to someone close to you if you are struggling with worries and anxieties about life after lockdown.

Another group of young people who are struggling through these times are university students. Universities around the country have made different decisions on how they are supporting their students throughout this time, but the 2020 graduates are worried about their job prospects after they leave university. Looking for a job can be difficult but with most workplaces closed students have concerns about life after education.

Universities are offering free helplines to help with every day life for students who are still in accommodation and those who are at home.

Wellbeing and Available Help

It is a completely natural response to the situation and even if we weren’t living through a pandemic a lot of these worries would still be around. However, now more than ever, your emotional wellbeing is so important. If you are struggling, reach out to those who are close to you to talk things through.

You can also speak to me here at Salford Counselling. While I cannot offer face to face counselling sessions at this time, I can support you with telephone and remote video session via Zoom, Skype, Facetime etc. I am a counsellor based in Manchester so please feel free to contact me to discuss your options.