The summer holidays bring a different set of pressures for young people, their families, and their carers. The routine of term time disappears, combined with the scorching weather that we’re having. And the six weeks stretch out ahead, sometimes unstructured – always different to the established routine. For young people with mental health and additional needs, this shift is genuinely hard to navigate.
This article explores some ideas and frameworks to support you through the summer.
Predictability still matters just as much in summer as at any other time of year. A visual calendar showing which days have plans, when there’s nothing on, and when you’ll simply be at home can help enormously.
The difference between the summer holiday and half terms is the sheer length of it. Six weeks is a long time to fill, and trying to plan every single day can create more anxiety, not less. It’s OK to plan in plenty of “nothing planned” days from the start. A loose weekly rhythm often works better than a packed timetable – for everyone!
Developed by the National Autistic Society, SPELL is widely used across SEND settings, particularly to support routine changes and transitions. It’s certainly a useful framework to anchor your summer if you’re feeling adrift.
Structure – predictable routines and clear expectations
Positive approaches – building on strengths, not just managing behaviour
Empathy – understanding the individual’s perspective
Low arousal – reducing sensory and emotional overload
Links – working with family, school and other people around the young person
The UK summer so far has been wildly hot, and that heat can be genuinely difficult for young people with sensory sensitivities or additional needs. Some learners find heat overwhelming on the skin. Others struggle with the changes it brings: different clothing, sun cream, sweat, and disrupted sleep when the evenings stay light and unbearably warm.
A few things can help.
Heat also affects sleep, and poor sleep affects everything else: mood, regulation, and the ability to cope with a change in plan. If sleep is suffering, it’s worth easing other expectations too.
Some medications also affect how the body handles heat, whether that’s increased sensitivity to the sun, dehydration, or difficulty regulating temperature. If you’re not sure, it’s worth a quick check with a GP or pharmacist, and building in extra shade and hydration breaks accordingly.
If your young person does get overwhelmed by the heat, a change in temperature can genuinely help settle their body. Cold water to drink, a splash on the face, or holding an ice cube for a moment all send a calming signal through the nervous system. It’s a simple tool, and one worth keeping on hand on the hottest days.
Clothing in the heat can be a challenge too – even the lack of uniform while out of school, for those who wear it, can add a challenge to the start of each day. Some young people prefer to stay covered even in the heat, whether that’s about body confidence, or simply wanting certain areas kept private. This deserves the same respect as any other choice. Try to find cooler alternatives that still let your young person wear what feels right for them, rather than pushing for “appropriate summer clothing.” A quiet, non-judgmental conversation about staying cool and comfortable, on their terms, usually works far better than any passive-aggressive comment about what they’re wearing.
Encourage your young person to notice their own signs of overwhelm, whether that’s heat, crowds, or too much unstructured time, and to identify what helps them reset. A simple three-step approach can help here: notice how you’re feeling, name it out loud or to yourself, then choose something that helps settle you.
It’s easy to feel, especially during the summer, that every day should involve an outing, an activity, or something “productive.” This time of year, it’s a worthy reminder that rest is not wasted time, and a quiet day at home is not a failure to make the most of the holidays.
For some young people, recharging looks like a duvet day with their favourite TV programme, game or craft. For others, it’s an hour in the garden with no plan at all, or simply being left alone with a book.
Small self-soothing habits can help too: a warm drink, a weighted blanket, or simply wrapping up in something familiar and comfortable. However it looks for your young person, it counts. These entirely unstructured days allow everyone the opportunity to recharge.
Repeat after me: a good summer isn’t measured by the size of your itinerary!
If you’re seeing friends or family over the break, a quick conversation beforehand can go a long way. Let them know if your young person needs breaks, might not want to join in with every activity, or might need their own space in the heat or in a crowd. Most people want to help but simply don’t know how, so a short heads-up can prevent difficult moments before they start. It helps to ask relatives to keep their approach non-judgemental and patient, and to follow your young person’s lead rather than pushing them to join in.
Some young people will want to see friends over the summer. Others will find the idea exhausting. Both are completely valid, and it’s worth checking in without pushing.
Where your young person does want contact but finds it hard to organise, you can offer to help by sending a message on their behalf, arranging something casual and short, or hosting at home, where things feel more familiar and it’s easier to leave if needed. Small, low-pressure interactions, an hour rather than a whole day, often work better than trying to recreate a summer of constant socialising.
If your young person wants solitude, try not to worry that they’re missing out. Wanting time alone and feeling lonely are different things, and trusting your young person’s sense of what they need is usually the right call.
For teenagers, summer brings its own particular pressures. Exam results, if they’re waiting on them, can loom over the whole break. Transitions to different schools or year groups, and the knowledge that timetables, classrooms, and even teachers may change over the summer, can all add to anxiety.
A countdown to the first day back can help young people prepare mentally. There are various countdown apps that you can use – or, of course, you can mark up your calendar. This, alongside honest conversations about what they’re looking forward to and what’s worrying them. If possible, a visit to the school grounds, or even just driving past, can make the return feel more familiar. Build in extra downtime for the first week back, expect tiredness, and keep additional commitments to a minimum while everyone settles back in.
For teenagers worrying about things like exam results or what happens next, it can help to sort worries into three groups: what they can control, what they can influence, and what’s entirely out of their hands. Focusing energy on the first group and letting the rest go for now can ease a lot of unnecessary stress. You can download our circles of control worksheet here
Sleep is often the first thing to slip over summer, with lighter evenings and looser bedtimes, so it’s worth starting the reset early. About two weeks before school returns, begin gently shifting bedtime and wake-up time back towards the school routine, a little earlier each day rather than all at once. Regular mealtimes can shift back into place around the same time.
Supporting a young person through six weeks of disrupted routine and rising temperatures is tiring, expensive, and, frankly, quite stressful for some. Ask for help when you need it. Say no to plans that don’t work for your family. Take breaks where you can find them, even short ones, and be kind to yourself when a day doesn’t go as hoped.
There’s no rule that says summer has to be full of days out, activities, or constant sunshine and smiles. Your summer can be quieter, slower, or simpler than anyone else’s. What matters is that it works for your family and supports your young person’s wellbeing. A calm, regulated young person at home is worth far more than a jam-packed schedule.
Summer can feel isolating when your family’s version of the holidays looks different from everyone else’s online. But plenty of families are making the same adaptations, skipping the same expectations, and finding their own version of a good summer.
Wishing you a calm, comfortable summer and a smooth return to school in September.
If you’d find it helpful to talk things through, support is available. Young Minds runs a Parents Helpline for anyone supporting a young person’s mental health. Mind’s Infoline offers advice and signposting to local services. And NHS 111, option 2, can connect you with mental health support and advice at any time.
You might also find useful support here: Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope