Climate support for parents and carers

Why schools choose to offer parent support workshops

Many schools report that parents are asking for guidance about climate anxiety and distress and that staff feel uncertain about how best to support families in this area

Children and young people may show:

• sadness and grief about environmental loss
• anger about perceived inaction and frustration with adults and institutions
• strong moral feelings about consumption, fairness and responsibility
• a desire to take action through protests, school strikes or lifestyle changes

Parents and carers often want to support their child well, but may feel unsure about what to say and may worry about making things worse.

These workshops support families to respond with confidence, emotional sensitivity and realistic expectations.

What the workshops focus on

The workshops help parents and carers to:

• understand common emotional responses to the climate crisis in children and young people
• make sense of behaviours such as withdrawal, anger, heightened activism or disengagement
• support children who want to be active and involved in climate-related action

What will a parent workshop look like?

Sessions typically include:

• an accessible introduction to how children and young people experience climate-related emotions
• discussion of common parental concerns and dilemmas
• practical guidance on talking with children about difficult topics
• reflection on how parents’ own emotions and beliefs can affect conversations at home
• opportunities for parents to share experiences, if they wish

The tone of the session is supportive, non-judgemental and inclusive of a wide range of family values, beliefs and experiences.

Supporting children who want to take action

Many parents are unsure how to respond when children or young people want to protest, change family consumption habits or challenge adults about environmental issues

The workshops include space to explore:

• what activism and engagement can mean emotionally for children and young people
• how action can support feelings of agency and hope
• how families can talk about safety, boundaries and practical constraints

What schools and families gain from these workshops

Schools who offer parent support workshops commonly see:

• increased parental confidence in talking about climate and environmental issues
• stronger home–school relationships around wellbeing
• reduced anxiety about “saying the wrong thing”
• more emotionally supportive family conversations

For families, the workshops help to create space for honest, compassionate and developmentally appropriate conversations about a topic that many children are already thinking deeply about.