And here’s what parents should do to help their children...

1. Be supportive and keep calm. Your role is to support and reassure. If you show your stress it will only increase the stress your child is feeling. Listen to what they are worried about and reassure them that whatever results they get you are proud of them. 2. Be practical. Make sure you know what time your child is getting their results and whether they want you to be there when they receive them. Don’t be offended or pushy if they don’t want you to be there. 3. Be prepared for the outcome. Good news is easier to react to, but if it is bad news then you need to offer perspective, wisdom and support – prepare advice for this. 4. Talk to your child about your own experiences, both successes and failures. Encourage your child to talk to teachers or careers advisers so that they can point them in the right direction if necessary. Careers Wales offers support and guidance as well. 5. Encourage your child to think about what they want from their working life. This will help begin to focus your efforts in the right direction, whether that’s looking for suitable jobs or apprenticeships. 6. It’s not always bad news. Make sure you are prepared if your child does well, or better than expected. They may now have the grades to go to university or swap onto a different course. Make yourself aware of the options available. 7. Inform yourself about the options available should your child not get the grades they want. Remind them that it is not about success and failure, it’s about what they do next. If your child has applied to university, equip yourself with information about accepting an offer or how to use the clearing system if needed.

Careers Wales has put together these tips as part of the Welsh Government’s Where Now? campaign.