AXA Health's Guide to the Further Education Years

A guide to the further education years

For parents & carers

Supporting parents and carers of further education young adults. Covering mental health, independence skills, financial wellbeing, distance communication and more.Contents

How ‘lighthouse’ parenting can help

Looking after your young person’s wellbeing

Your wellbeing as a parent or carer

Communicating as a lighthouse parent

Caring from a distance

Family dynamics when a child leaves

Building relationships that last

Supporting a young adult with SEND as they move away

from home

Where do I turn?

AXA Health

Thank you for reading

A guide to the
further education years

1 Why we've made this guide

2 How ‘lighthouse’ parenting can help

3 Looking after your young person's wellbeing

4 Your wellbeing as a parent or carer

5 Communicating as a lighthouse parent or carer

6 Caring from a distance

7 Family dynamics when a child leaves

8 Building relationships that last

9 Supporting a young adult with SEND

10 Where to turn for trusted support

11 How AXA Health supports families

12 Thanks for reading

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Why we've
made this guide

We know that nothing matters
more than your family's health

A simple, reliable place to find the information and support you may need.

Just a few years ago, you were helping them find their feet at secondary school. Now school’s over for good, and there’s a new chapter ahead. Maybe they’re heading off to university or college, staying at home while they figure out their next move, or setting off on a gap year adventure. Whatever they choose, it’s a huge change.

It can be tough on parents and carers too. As well as supporting them through the whirlwind of moving out and settling somewhere new, you're dealing with your own feelings about this next chapter and what it means for your role.

At AXA Health, we want to help parents and carers by providing clear, easy-to-navigate information that’s created in collaboration with our qualified health professionals and trusted sources.

That’s why we made this guide: a simple, reliable place to find the information and support you may need.

Dr Imren Sterno

Head of mental health & Consultant clinical psychologist

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How to use this guide

There’s no single formula for raising a healthy, happy young person. Every family and every young person is different, so this guide isn’t a rulebook. It’s more of a toolkit full of information and signposts to resources to help you make your own choices.

You don’t need to read from start to finish. Dip into whatever is relevant right now and come back to it whenever something new comes up.

In every section, you’ll find information about where you can get support or find out more, along with references to where we got our information.

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Before you dive in

A quick word on comparison

It’s hard not to compare your young person to others – but success is different for everyone, and what’s right for one person isn’t right for another. In most cases, they’ll find their own path and get where they need to be in their own way.

However, if something is worrying you, speak to your GP or their university or college welfare services in the first instance. Remember you know your child better than anyone and if you are concerned always reach out for support.

Dr Imren Sterno looks into the role of comparison and how it can impact your mental wellbeing, in our article:
What role does comparison play in your life?

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This information was created by AXA Health’s team, based on reputable sources, and reviewed and checked by our healthcare professionals.

Please also note:

Health recommendations change, so please check the latest official information for your area.
The information in this guide is not medical advice – please always check with your GP or another health professional.
This guide is for information and support only and is no indication of the cover available through our AXA Health plans.
AXA Health is not responsible for the content of other websites or information that we refer to here.