When a friendship falls apart, most children don't know where to start. The hurt is real, but the path back — saying sorry, understanding the other person, choosing to move forward — can feel impossible without some help to navigate it.
 
Children are still developing the emotional vocabulary and perspective-taking skills that repair relationships require. Without a structured way in, many either shut down entirely or stay stuck replaying what went wrong — and the friendship stays broken long after it could have been fixed.
 
The Friendship Bridge gives children a concrete, visual framework for working through conflict at their own pace. Using the metaphor of a broken bridge, it invites them to name their feelings, consider their friend's perspective, and explore four practical tools — communication, empathy, apology, and forgiveness — in plain, accessible language. There are no right answers and no pressure to rush.
 
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Using this at home
Wait for a calm moment and look at the bridge image together before asking anything — curiosity opens more doors than questions. Work through it side by side rather than handing it over; the feelings question on the left is the one that needs the most time. The tools section works best as a conversation rather than a writing task — ask your child which one feels most possible right now, and start there.
 
Using this in school or a session
Works well as a structured starting point in 1:1 or small group pastoral and counselling sessions — the visual scaffold helps children who find open-ended emotional conversation difficult to access. Maps onto PSHE learning objectives and EHCP targets around social communication and peer relationships. Best suited to mutual friendship conflict — use your professional judgement if bullying or a power imbalance is involved.
 
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This resource was created by Zara O'Brien, a psychotherapist specialising in working with children and families, and founder of The Children's Psychology Hub — making child psychology accessible for every home and classroom.