Congratulations to all those heading off to the next stage of their education this month, be it getting away from home to university or college, or starting in work training through an apprenticeship.
It’s an extraordinary time for everyone in the family and I know there will be strong emotions as parents drop off their adult-in-age-but-not-always-in-nature offspring at an accommodation block far from home, with no friends and no family on hand.
There are things you can do to help your young as they head off to pastures new. Get them a bucket with a lid for emergencies - and a doorstop to wedge their door open so they can make friends with other freshers as they unpack. More mundanely you can make sure they are up to date with all free routine NHS vaccinations via the NHS app.
The three vaccines students should be up to date with before starting university or college include:
MenACWY – protecting against 4 common strains causing meningitis and septicaemia
MMR – protecting against measles, mumps, and rubella
HPV – protecting against human papilloma virus (HPV) related cancers such as cervical cancer and other cancers.
If any students missed these vaccines at school, they should contact their GP surgery to arrange a catch up.
Universities and colleges tend to have excellent pastoral care and healthcare teams, so do encourage your child to seek help if they feel unwell or overwhelmed by the start of this new academic challenge.
This is the start of some of the most memorable years of their life – pack them up, wave them off and wish them luck in making the most of everything they learn (academic or otherwise).