Looking after your mental health and wellbeing- 11

"With disruption in everyone’s lives due to coronavirus (COVID-19) it’s important that we all pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing and the mental health of children and young people.

Research suggests that the pandemic is going to affect everyone’s mental wellbeing, particularly vulnerable groups such as children (Holmes et al, 20201).

Children and young people may be feel worried or anxious about different things. Beyond the virus itself there is the interruption of the normal school routine, suddenly spending most of their time indoors and no longer regularly seeing family and friends.

They may also experience someone close to them, such as a family member, carer, friend or teacher, becoming seriously ill or passing away. This can cause feelings of sadness, loss and grief."

There is a variety of resources, for parents/carers and children here-
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/2020/april/supporting-children-young-people-mental-health

Transition

Change is hard for everyone, especially children. Whether it’s big changes, like moving house or small ones, like moving from one activity to the next. Transition strategies can help prevent meltdowns and lower anxiety in children. 

https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/transition-strategies-for-kids

For most of our children at Bannockburn, we usually do work around transition in the final half term of the school year, preparing for September. 
Whether that is moving up to the next year group, also moving sites from Nursery at Manor Way to Reception at High Street, or Year 2 at High Street to Year 3 at Manor Way, or leaving Bannockburn entirely to start at another school, whether you've moved or heading to secondary school.  This year we also have the transition of leaving home-schooling to return to the classroom, in some form. 

There are lots of things we can do to help transition. Here are a few-

• Prepare them. Correct and clear information, when you have it, is good to share. The unknown or confusing information, causes more anxiety. 

• Choose transition activities. These would be things that could be done in between two other things, such as skipping over to the car or counting to ten before moving on to the next thing.

• Allow for extra time. Everyone is calmer and more patient when not rushing,

• Social stories. There is one below about 'Returning to school,' but also keep checking on the school website and BLOG.

• Maintain consistency. As much as possible, try to stick with the routines that they are used to.

Transitions are milestone events for children and have a definite effect on their development. They are times of exciting change certainly and times of new opportunities and growth for every child. They can also be times of uncertainty where surroundings are not the same, expectations and procedures are different and faces as yet unfamiliar. Transition should be viewed as a process rather than an event that involves children, practitioners and parents together. Transition has been described as an ongoing journey rather than a destination.

http://www.earlyyearsmatters.co.uk/eyfs/positive-relationships/transitions/

As children learn to adapt to classroom environments that are likely to be dramatically different to anything they had previously imagined, many other aspects of their lives are likely to be also affected, such as socialising with friends, mental health and dealing with grief. Film's power as a tool for empathy is therefore more important than ever. Through it we see representation and kindness, showing characters facing hardships but also how they persevere through them, no matter what, whether through their own will or with the help of others.

https://www.intofilm.org/films/filmlist/25
Please take care to chose films that are the correct age group for your child.

The power of kindness

The Red Cross have made resources to find out how children and young people can practise kindness every day, which is especially important during the coronavirus emergency.

- Learn about the power of kindness
- Carry out kind acts
- Consider how they can be kind to themselves and others

- Being grateful

- Ways to cope

- Kindness in the community

https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources/kindness-calendar##

Support for parents and carers during family isolation.

Below are links and quotes directly from various articles and websites that give tips and advice to parents/ carers on how to support their children, and themselves, during the lockdown.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice and support for parents and carers
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/coronavirus-advice-suppport-children-families-parents/
Whether you're working from home with your kids for the first time or supporting children with anxiety due to coronavirus, we've got tips and advice for you.


‘Don’t make a drama’: a survival guide for parents during family isolation
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/mar/22/family-isolation-guide-for-parents-teenagers-coronavirus-lockdown

To ease these tensions, she recommends parents work in shifts, taking turns to supervise the children, and set aside time to chat and listen to each other’s concerns each day, in a room away from the kids.

“Your number one job as a parent at the moment is to keep your children well and that means looking after their mental health as well as their physical health,” she says.

“You could say to them: you are so lucky. You are one of the few year groups ever to get this opportunity. How are you going to use it?” says Drummond. Teens may not yet have twigged that, in the future, universities or employers will be asking them how they spent their time off.

Hughes predicts that the three main things that children are going to miss are their usual routine, their chance to connect with their community and their opportunities to be successful and accomplish things. “We need roles, identity and productivity, even from the age of three.”

“It doesn’t matter if the accomplishment is curriculum-based. It can be learning to make mum a cup of tea, putting pasta in a bowl or drawing a picture for someone so they feel connected to the people they are missing. Even if that gift never gets given, because you are self-isolating, the child has felt that moment of connection.”


Is Your Child Spiraling Out of Control During Lockdown?
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/zero-six/202004/is-your-child-spiraling-out-control-during-lockdown

How to set loving limits so kids feel safe and secure in their shifting world.


Coronavirus: How UK parents and communities are helping their kids through the loneliness of lockdown
https://www.worldvision.org.uk/news-and-views/blog/2020-blogs/april/coronavirus-how-uk-parents-and-communities-are-helping-their-kids-through-loneliness-lockdown/

Children 5-11 years old are more likely than older children to become clingy, cry and have tantrums and disturbed sleep. Children over 12 years old are more likely to become withdrawn.

The survey found that girls tend to show their distress at the coronavirus upheaval in a different way to boys. Girls are more likely to become more easily upset and complain of ailments like stomach aches and headaches. Boys are more likely to become fidgety and fight more.

“Parents can give their children emotional support, reduce their stress levels, and help them feel safe and secure. It is important that parents find out what their children have heard and listen to their concerns. They should talk calmly and explain what is happening in a way appropriate to their children’s level of understanding. It may be easier for young children to draw a picture rather than talk about something scary. Offer them crayons and paper so they can do this.”

Social stories to understand coronavirus.

Below are a couple of social stories that help children to understand what is going on at the moment. 

https://www.sophiesstories.co.uk/stay-home-superheroes 

https://www.flipsnack.com/KeshetChicago/coronavirus-social-story/full-view.html

Looking after your mental health and wellbeing - 6

In response to the Coronavirus outbreak, EPIC have created a Parent Resource Pack to support you in boosting your family’s resilience, reducing anxiety and ensuring your families overall wellbeing throughout these unprecedented times.

https://epicleics.com/epic/home-learning

There are sections on-

• Understanding Coronavirus
• Anxiety
• Resilience
• Structure
• General Games and Activities
• EYFS

PEOPLE WITH AUTISM OR LEARNING DISABILITIES NOW ALLOWED TO GO OUT MORE THAN ONCE A DAY.

Updated government guidance now says-

"You can leave your home for medical need. If you (or a person in your care) have a specific health condition that requires you to leave the home to maintain your health - including if that involves travel beyond your local area - then you can do so. This could, for example, include where individuals with learning disabilities or autism require specific exercise in an open space two or three times each day - ideally in line with a care plan agreed with a medical professional.

Even in such cases, in order to reduce the spread of infection and protect those exercising, travel outside of the home should be limited, as close to your local area as possible, and you should remain at least 2 metres apart from anyone who is not a member of your household or a carer at all times."

More information in these articles- 

https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/media-centre/news/2020-04-09-guidance-on-exercise-coronavirus.aspx

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/coronavirus-lockdown-uk-autism-learning-disabilities-health-condition-exercise-a9464751.html

Greenwich Community Hub- need help?

There is an article in the News Shopper about how the new 'Greenwich Community Hub' is supporting vulnerable people in Greenwich.

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18364597.greenwich-council-mobilizes-small-army-volunteers-launches-new-community-hub/

If you need help because you are self-isolating and have not got a family member, friend or neighbour who can help, call the Community Hub.

Seven days a week, call between 8.30am to 6pm on: 0800 470 4831 
or email covid19support@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

If you haven’t signed-up yet but are in good health and would like to help, please sign up at volunteer.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/vk/volunteers

Looking after your mental health and wellbeing - 5

Tips, advice and where to get support for your child's mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Here are five things you can do to support your child:

1. Talk to them about what’s going on. Find out how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking about, let them know it’s okay to feel scared or unsure, and try to answer their questions and reassure them in an age appropriate manner. Remember, you do not need to know all the answers, but talking things through can help them feel calmer.
2. Help them to reflect on how they’re feeling and encourage them to think about the things they can do to make them feel safer and less worried.
3. Reassure them that this will pass, you’re there for them, and you will get through this together.
4. Spend time doing a positive activity with your child (such as reading, playing, painting or cooking) to help reassure them and reduce their anxiety. This is also a great way of providing a space for them to talk through their concerns, without having a ‘big chat’.
5.  Keep as many regular routines as possible, so that your child feels safe and that things are stable.

More support at- 
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/supporting-your-child-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/