Back to school: Top anxiety triggers revealed by Barnardo's survey

Difficult work, moving schools and being bullied are some of main concerns children have as they start the new school year, a new survey has revealed.

While going back to school is an exciting time for many children, a survey of over 1,000 eight to 15-year-olds in England, Scotland and Wales, done for the children's charity Barnardo's, revealed their main anxieties.

The charity says that the report shows why it's important that more money is put into providing mental health support for young people in schools.

Read on to find out more and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Changes at school

The report says that nearly half of children worry that school work will be too hard when they go back to school after summer.

About a quarter of all children asked worried about changing school, class or teachers.

This increased to half of all 11-year-olds, who worried about moving up from primary to secondary school.

Bullying

Bullying is another concern for children going back to school.

Four out of five children (77 per cent) said they know a friend who has experienced a form of bullying.

The most important advice when it comes to bullying is to speak about it to someone you trust and the good news is that the study found most children would tell a friend, family member or teacher if another child or young person did or said something to them that made them feel upset.

Social media and mental health

Barnardo's charity is also putting out a TV advert highlighting the importance of mental health support services for children and young people.

The advert includes snarling computer-generated hyenas to show the anxiety a frightened girl feels as she walks home from school and checks her phone in her bedroom.

The video ends with the girl finding someone to talk to.

The charity wants the government to put children's mental health and wellbeing first and make sure all children, parents and carers have access to guidance on safe social media use.

Where can I get help?

If you are worried about or affected by the issues in this article, there is lots of support out there for you.

Speak to an adult you trust, like a parent, guardian or a teacher.

You can also contact Childline - a counselling charity for people aged 18 and under - on 0800 1111 for free at any time.