PARENT POWER: THREE IDEAS FOR A POST-GCSE BREAK

One way to help your child make a maiden bid for independence is to steer them in the direction of a (relatively) safe destination. Here are three options. stewards and first aiders around, and the atmosphere is friendly and laid-back. Yes, there will be drugs around, but that is the case in many places where teenagers gather. Make your child aware of the risks and insist they go with at least one friend – and that they stick together. Remind them that smartphones run out of battery; some festivals have charge tents where people can charge their phones, or you could send your child with a few power banks. Set expectations for communication. Weekend camping tickets at Reading cost from £205 per person (festicket. com). trip. Kingswood Camps runs supervised residential weeks for 15 to 17 year-olds at Overstrand Hall in Norfolk, with activities including abseiling and bushcraft. From £199 pp inc most activities (01603 857204; camps. kingswood. co.uk). Adventure holiday specialist PGL runs supervised residential holidays for children up to 17, with a separate group for 13 to 17 year-olds. Activities offered at their bases in Britain and France include fencing, surfing, and watersports. From £279 for a three-night break in Wiltshire (03333 212114; pgl.co.uk). during the peak migration, so your children will be under (friendly) scrutiny (see cornwall.gov. uk/newquaysafe for more detail). Newquay Reef Surf Lodge (newquayreef surflodge.co.uk) remains a popular choice for young people. Its rooms accommodate 2-6 (from £17.50 per person a night). Its well-marked spot on the under-18s’ tourist path helps to keep it safe.