Dealing with anxiety- Alina's story

• Prior to the programme, Alina’s levels of anxiety were significantly impacting her emotional wellbeing, her engagement and enjoyment of school, and her peer relationships.
•  After building a trusted relationship with Alina, Beth, her Link Worker, was able to design a programme of support that sought to get to the heart of Alina’s anxiety.
• By the end of the two-year programme, Alina’s school attendance had improved, she was feeling confident enough to engage in class and in extra-curricular activities and was looking forward to moving onto secondary school.

The impact of anxiety 

When Alina joined the programme at the age of 9, she was very anxious at school. She would often avoid coming into school if she knew she would be required to speak in front of her class or take part in something new. Alina was also experiencing friendship difficulties, which were making it increasingly hard for her to concentrate and engage in class. Alina’s Mum was very concerned about her daughter, especially with SATS and the transition to secondary school on the horizon.

Building a trusted relationship 

At the start of the programme, Alina’s Link Worker Beth prioritised building a trusted relationship with her. She would have regular check-ins with Alina about her emotions, and support her to develop strategies she could use to overcome her anxieties. This led to a particular emphasis on navigating friendship difficulties. Beth would often accompany Alina to the playground at breaktime to help ease Alina’s worries and help her identify classmates that she felt comfortable approaching and spending time with.

Collaborating closely with Mum 

Alina’s mum and Beth kept in close contact throughout the programme. She would inform Beth if Alina was experiencing a specific worry that was preventing her from feeling comfortable going to school, for example, presenting something to the class. This communication supported Beth to better understand Alina, and afforded her the opportunity to provide more specific support on certain school days, for example, building her confidence to speak in front of her peers in the classroom. 

Unlocking potential 

Through the AllChild Programme, Alina began weekly sessions with an art therapist from Unlocking Potential . Alina benefited tremendously from these sessions, and told Beth she really valued the one-to-one time, and the safe space to discuss her worries. Through these sessions, Alina was able to identify certain triggers for her anxiety and think about different approaches she could take to feel more calm and self-assured. These sessions continued into Alina’s second year on the programme, where they specifically explored the transition to secondary school.

‍Friendship matters 

Once Alina was feeling more secure and confident at school, Beth set up a ‘Friendship Matters’ support programme for Alina, and some other girls in her class. The sessions provided a safe space to explore different emotions, think about what makes a good friend and discuss how our actions impact others. The group were able to think about their own friendships and talk over alternative ways that they could manage difficult situations. Following this programme, Alina commented that she felt much happier in her friendships and Beth became aware that Alina was requiring considerably less adult support at breaktime.

The confidence to try something new 

In the second year of the programme, Beth prioritised building Alina’s confidence when talking in front of larger groups. In the spring term, Alina joined an immersive theatre club through AllChild, which centred around preparing a protest to save a local park. Alina worked confidently and collaboratively with her peers, and engaged in all the activities. 

In the final session, she presented a speech and participated in a group dance in front of a large crowd of parents, something Alina would have found incredibly daunting at the start of the year. This was a really significant moment and illustrated the distance Alina had travelled and the progress she had made under the programme. Alina’s Mum was in the audience and expressed how proud she was of her being able to stand up and speak with such confidence.

Looking ahead 

Alina’s attendance improved as the year progressed, and Alina’s mum rarely had to contact Beth with concerns about Alina coming into school. In Alina’s final term, Beth ran some reflective sessions. Alina was able to look back at her struggles with anxiety, identify what had now changed, and think about how she would manage similar challenges if they were to surface again in secondary school.

*Name changed and image unrelated.