💭 What Are Children Most Afraid Of?
⇒ At the recent EMBRACE Future Forum in Bucharest, children and teenagers opened up about their greatest fears.
Their voices revealed ten common fears:
- Not having anyone to talk to when they feel unwell
- Not being heard or understood by others
- Feeling inadequate or not good enough
- Difficulty building positive relationships with teachers
- Failing exams
- Experiencing bullying without support from peers
- Being isolated or rejected for sharing their feelings
- Not being accepted by friends or judged for who they are
- Difficulty coping with change or new challenges
- Feeling that their emotions are not valid or important
These fears are not signs of weakness, they just show us what children need most, and that is understanding, safety, and connection.
Our EMBRACE characters portrayed lead the way and show us how it’s done:
🦉 Wise Owl helps Sparky overcome his fear of jumping over the river.
📚 Alex+ and Alex study to overcome the fear of failing in their next test.
💬 Maya+ listens to Maya, who is scared that her feelings aren’t valid.
🌱 So what can we do in real life?
During the Forum, young people proposed creative, actionable ideas to address these challenges:
→ A weekly day for relaxation and team-building activities
→ A student advisor at the Ministry of Education to ensure young voices reach decision-makers
→ More school psychologists and counselors through school–NGO collaborations
→ Peer counseling programs and dedicated mental health spaces in schools
Global research shows that stronger school-community collaboration and improved access to counseling services can significantly enhance students’ mental health and academic success (Source).
Each proposal brings us closer to schools that nurture care, empathy, and trust.
Learn more: embrace-future.eu
