Worry

Provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustments and specific interventions expected to be made by settings according to the ages and stages of the CYP

Universal

• Staff should proactively listen to the voice of the CYP across a range of activities, not only at points of transition or review meetings. This should include their experiences of support, learning, social interaction, emotional regulation, sensory needs and times of transition or change.  Appropriate tools should be used to gather CYP voice (Talking Mats, MAPS, Ideal School).
• Normalise experiences of worry through discussion and modelling, helping CYP understand that these feelings are common and manageable.
• Ensure CYP have access to a trusted adult they can go to for support when feeling worried or overwhelmed.
• Offer individualised reassurance and acknowledgement of effort or engagement in a way that is comfortable and motivating for the CYP.
• Provide clear, predictable routines and advance warning of any changes to reduce uncertainty.
• Use clear, consistent and reassuring language to explain what is happening and what is expected.
• Use strategies to support the CYP to understand what is happening (e.g. personalised social stories with visuals).
• Prepare CYP for social situations or changes in advance (e.g. explaining expectations, routines or possible outcomes).
• Use co-regulation strategies (e.g. calm tone, reassurance, modelling regulation) to support CYP in managing feelings of worry.
• Teach and practise calming and self-regulation strategies regularly.
• Provide access to a calm, safe space where CYP can regulate if feeling overwhelmed.
• Adapt expectations and reduce demand during periods of heightened worry to support engagement and emotional safety.

Targeted

Effective targeted support should:

• Reduce uncertainty and build predictability
• Teach practical coping strategies
• Provide graded exposure to challenge
• Move from adult reassurance → child independence
• Consider the advice and guidance from Supporting children and young people with anxiety | Anna Freud
• Deliver emotion recognition interventions to support understanding of CYP's own and others' feelings and perspectives.
• Offer a safe space the CYP can go to when overwhelmed.
• Break challenging situations into small, manageable steps, gradually increasing exposure (e.g.: observe → join briefly → participate fully)
• Support gradual re-engagement with activities or environments, building up tolerance over time.
• Avoid excessive reassurance; instead: encourage problem-solving and reinforce coping attempts
• Continue to provide supportive tools or strategies beyond the school/ setting day where appropriate (e.g. social stories for home-setting transitions, holidays or return to school/ setting).