Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.

But if your child's anxiety or worry is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help. Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up. There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this. 

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

• become irritable, tearful or clingy
• have difficulty sleeping
• wake in the night
• start wetting the bed
• have bad dreams

In older children you may notice that they:

• lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges
• find it hard to concentrate
• have problems with sleeping or eating
• have angry outbursts
• have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen
• start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school.

 As part of the #YouveBeenMissed campaign, the resources below have been produced by Forward Thinking Birmingham's STICK Team and Birmingham Education Partnership for children 11 years and younger.  These will support with worry and anxiety.