Supporting someone who is having a difficult time

Are you supporting someone who is having a difficult time at school, like a friend or a classmate?

If you are, it can be hard to know what the best thing to say is, or what you can do to help them.

On this page you can find advice about helping others and some useful links too.

TIPS for supporting people

Here are some things you could do when trying to support someone who is having a difficult time:

➜ Try to give them support that works for them. They may not be ready to talk but let them know you’re there if they want to open up.

➜ If they are ready to talk – listen to them. This will help support them to explain how they’re feeling.

➜ Suggest that it might help for them to talk to a teacher or another adult they trust in private about their worries.

➜ It’s important to talk to an adult you trust if you’re worried about your friend’s safety. You also need to look after yourself, so if you’re finding it hard supporting them you should speak to someone.

➜ You could share some useful contact information with them. Below, we have listed some organisations that help people who are having a difficult time.