A Brief Guide to Loneliness Among Children and Young People at School

10th June 2026

Why it Matters and What Schools Can Do About It

This is a guide primarily written for staff working in primary and secondary schools, that aims to support them to a) better understand loneliness among their children and young people, and b) think about whether there is a need to address loneliness in their school, and if so, how this can be done. The guide is based on research evidence, and relevant resources are included in the text, with an additional resource list at the end of the document.

Written by Dr Helen MacIntyre in collaboration with Professor Jennifer Lau and Dr Laura Riddleston (Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London) and Dr Lily Verity and Professor Pamela Qualter (Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester)