All Souls C of E Primary School
Transition and recovery
Transition and Recovery in the Aftermath of a Pandemic Mental Health and Wellbeing
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This is a tricky time for your child, as so many changes are starting to happen. They may or may not be coming back to school. If they are coming back to school, they may be anxious that school will look very different from how it looked before. They may be worried that their friends will not be there, what will they be learning, where will they play? If your child is not coming back to school, they may be feeling frustrated and bored at home, they may be losing the motivation to carry on with their home learning or they may feel so secure and happy at home, they don’t want to return to school.
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Children may also be feeling a sense of loss during this time. This feeling may come from not seeing their friends or simply because things are not the same as they were before the virus. Sadly, some of our children may have experienced the loss of a family member.
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It is really important, during this time, that we help our children to look after their mental health and wellbeing.
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Below are lots of links to websites, activities, information and stories that may be helpful during this transition period.
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Bubble Time Blog
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Over the next few weeks, the Bubble Time Blog will be updated each Monday. There will be activities your child can do to support their emotional development. Try and set aside some time each week for your child to have a go at each activity.
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Advice and Guidance
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Sleep
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During this period of lockdown our daily routines will have been disrupted. We may not be getting up as early, being as active as usual and understandably, we may be more anxious. All of these things will affect our sleep and that of our children.
Alex Haswell (the school’s Educational Psychologist) has put together a useful sleep guide for both adults and children. Alex reminds us why sleep is so important and provides strategies to help everyone sleep better at this difficult time. Please click on the link below to open the guide.
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Sleep During the Coronavirus Pandemic
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DFE Guidance for supporting children’s mental health
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This advice is to help adults with caring responsibilities look after the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, including those with additional needs and disabilities, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The guidance is updated regularly.
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Calm zone – Childline
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Childline has produced a toolbox of activities, such as breathing exercises, coping videos, yoga, videos and games that can help children feel calm in a period of disruption.
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https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/
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Young Minds Helpline for parents and young people
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If there are concerns about a young person’s mental health during this difficult time, you can contact the Young Minds Helplines.
Parents Helpline: If you are a parent who needs advice about your child’s mental health, you can contact the Parents Helpline directly on 0808 802 between 9:30am-4pm.
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Recommended Books for Children
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Storybooks are a great starting point in helping children talk about their emotions, feelings and anxieties. Book choices don’t need to cover issues literally to be effective. Often, the best books are those that reflect our realities through metaphor, imagery and themes that resonate through our experiences. Below is a list of recommended books that deal with issues such as isolation, independence, resilience, relationships, anxiety, trust and loss.
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Recommend list provided by The Literacy Tree
Halibut Jackson’s – deals with themes such as resilience, independence and isolation, suitable for EYFS.
The Bear Under the Stairs – deals with anxiety caused by the unknown.
The Heart and the Bottle – deals with loss and grief.
The Selfish Giant – looks at the themes of friendship.
Lost and Found - looks at the themes of friendship and lasting bonds.
Tadpole’s Promise – deals with themes of change and change in friendships.
The Legend of Sally – explores themes around trust and relationships.
The Arrival – focuses on feelings of loneliness and adapting to a new normal.
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Please click on the link below to access the ebook My Inside Weather. This book is all about children’s inner emotions.
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Bereavement
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The guidance below is designed for children and young people to read through with an adult. At the end of this booklet there is additional guidance for adults about how to tell a child when someone has died.
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Helping you with your feelings when someone close to you dies
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Further guidance on bereavement is available on the Winston’s Wish website.
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