Supporting children starting the milestone of going into Year 7

Moving from primary to secondary school is a huge milestone for children and brings with it new independence.

- By Darren Worth Childline senior supervisor, North of England

As they start Year 7, children will often be traveling further to school, managing levels of homework they're unused to, and many will be using personal devices and social media for the first time.

All of these things can cause anxiety, but children starting secondary school are also often given their first smartphone around this age. As they begin using social media platforms, and joining new online gaming or chat groups, these devices help them stay connected but can expose children to cyberbullying, scams, or inappropriate content for the first time.