insideKENT Magazine Issue 101 - September 2020 | Page 112
EDUCATION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
NHS England are also urging parents to look out
for signs of anxiety and low mood during a child’s
re-introduction to school and in the weeks following.
Children may not simply explain how they feel; they
may not even have the words for it, so the NHS has
provided some symptoms to look out for. ‘You might
find they find it hard to manage their emotions, and
they may appear anxious or distressed, withdrawn
or tearful. They may have increasing trouble with
sleeping and eating, and may report worried or
negative thoughts about themselves or their future.
For younger children, there may also be an increase,
or a regression back to bed wetting.’
In order to help your child get through these
challenging times, while feeling as supported and
understood as possible, Barker recommends firstly
acknowledging how they are feeling, and reassuring
them that it is okay and normal that they have
worries. Positive activities such as regular exercise,
listening to music, singing, and dancing can also lift
children’s spirits. She also points out how important
it is to look after yourselves in a time like this;
‘Children mostly take their cues about how to deal
with situations from the adults around them. Be
mindful of your own stress levels and anxiety and
be sure to look after you too.’ She also recommends
these tricks for getting your child ready for September.
‘Younger children can benefit from having a worry
teddy or doll, that they can tell their worries to before
going to sleep. With older children let them know
you are there for them and encourage them to talk
to who they feel most comfortable with. In the
household, try to limit the news coverage of the
pandemic, and encourage your child to talk about
what they like doing at school to remind them of all
the great activities they are involved in and all the
wonderful friends they have.’
In addition to this advice, rest assured that schools
are well aware of the significant need for more
pastoral care, and a focus on the mental health of
pupils once school starts again. St Edmund’s School
in Canterbury has been at the forefront of mental
health advocacy in the wake of COVID. Headmaster,
Edward O’Conner has committed that his school
will adjust to the new normal with bigger and better
support methods to tackle mental health. “At St
Edmund’s, maintaining the safety and well-being of
our community is our first priority. The school is
doing all that it can to support our community, not
least by implementing a series of systems designed
to help those facing acute personal, emotional and
mental health challenges. Among many other things,
one-to-one and year group support will be offered
and the BSA's COVID-Safe Charter has been
adopted by the school, with shared resources for
pupils on managing mental health and COVIDspecific
resources available. Our tutor programme
will also be adapted to cope with the bubble approach
and to respond to COVID-19 concerns. This
approach is true to our identity as a caring and
compassionate school."
September will bring its own challenges for both
parents and children, and in such unprecedented
times the only things we can do are try our best,
communicate, and be there for our children, so they
can come out the other-side happy and healthy.
If you are concerned for your child’s mental health and wellbeing please reach out to one of the resources below or visit your doctor:
www.daretodiffer.org www.giveusashout.org www.childline.org.uk www.youngminds.org.uk
www.anxietyuk.org.uk www.samaritans.org nhs.uk www.minded.org.uk
112