Coronavirus Advice and Sources of Information
This is the latest government publication for information for parents/carers during the Corovirus School Closures.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carershttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers
And the latest government advice of supporting your child's education during the
Further Advice and sources of Information:
Take care of yourself
It is important right now to take care of your own physical and mental health.
Children are very perceptive, and they react to what they sense from
the adults around them.
Here are some things you can do to help keep yourself healthy:
maintain relationships with people you care about through phone and video calls.
Find something you enjoy and that makes you feel good.
being anxious or worried can have a big impact on your sleep.
If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep,
try to develop a calming bedtime routine – for example, do10 minutes of yoga or listen to calming music. There are also apps you can download
that provide guided meditation to help you get to sleep more quickly.
Limit your exposure to the news to only a small amount of time, just enough
To know what the latest government guidance is.
knit. These are also great activities we can share with our children.
it is easy to lose track of the days in our current situation, so it can be
helpful to set daily and weekly goals to give us a sense of control and
purpose. Examples might be setting a goal of walking for half an hour at
least 3 times this week or reading a new book.
Put a comfortable chair by the window so you can look outside
and get some air as you read a book.
and what you are doing to cope can be helpful for both you and them.
There are also helplines you can call for support – we have included a list at the end of this pack.
How to talk to your child about what is happening
The tips here are from the article Coronavirus: addressing pupil anxiety.
No matter how calmly you manage the current environment, children are likely to be anxious, so it is important to talk to them about what is happening.
For younger children
Children pick up bits of information from their friends, from the news and from listening to adults talking around them –but they can misunderstand what they are hearing.
giving them the facts
Give them age-appropriate information – take a look at:
BBC Newsround hub – regularly updated with information and advice
#covibook – for under 7s
Chi ldren ’s gu id e to c or ona v ir us – a download from the Children’s Commissioner to help explain the situation to children
Teach them how to know if information they find on the internet is reliable. Explain how some stories on social media may be based on rumours or inaccurate information.
Encourage them to take breaks from listening to or reading the news – over exposure is not helpful.
This will give them the confidence to reach out, if they have anything to ask.
Be reassuring, but honest when answering questions – it is ok if you do not have all the answers.
Be ready to answer the same question over and over - children tend to repeat
themselves when they are feeling uncertain or worried, so you might
have to answer the same questions more than once as they
seek extra reassurance.
Recognise and manage your own worries first.
Be open about your own feelings and let them know it is normal to be concerned –
for example, let them know you are also finding the news a bit worrying and what you are doing to stay calm.
It is constantly working against germs without us knowing. We cannot and do not need to control this process.
Explain that we are taking precautions against this particular germ because it is a new one which our bodies have not come across before.
Remind them how important it is that they eat healthy food, sleep and
exercise, as this helps to fight germs.
If it helps, reassure them that the effects of this virus on healthy
young people are very mild.
Remind them to maintain good hygiene like bathing daily
and wearing fresh clothes.
Encourage them to sing 'happy birthday' twice when they are
washing their hands.
If you have older children in your household
Older children will have the same anxieties about their own health and that of their
family and friends as younger children. However, they are also likely to feel socially isolated and worried about the result of school closures on their education and what life will be like after the pandemic is over.
In addition to the steps above:
Reassure them that when more guidance comes from the school about how grades will be awarded, you will share this with them as soon as you have it –you could also check that they understand the information you have received so far, in case there are any points of confusion or worry that the school could help too.
Encourage them to maintain social ties –relationships are especially important for older children, so give them room to keep in touch with their friends.
Equip them with accurate information – for example:
o Mythbusters from the World Health Organization
o Data visualisation pack from Information is Beautiful (regularly updated)
Share tools to help them manage anxiety
o YoungMinds: practical steps to take if you're anxious about coronavirus
o Mind: how to take care of your wellbeing when staying home
If your child struggles with higher levels of anxiety
Some children are naturally more anxious, such as those with existing phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorders. The current situation can make those anxieties worse.
Get them to do activities such as counting, ordering and sorting tasks
which can help them calm down.
Encourage them to use relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing.
Look out for obsessive or compulsive behaviours and try to get ahead of them early by challenging unhelpful thoughts and assumptions.
If you are worried about your child’s anxiety, YoungMinds is a charity dedicated to children’s mental health.
They have opened a parents’ helpline for confidential, expert advice. You can reach
them at 0808 802 5544.
Helplines and websites for children and young people
If your child would like to speak with someone confidentially, there are helplines and websites specifically for them.
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ORGANISATION |
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Shout Free, confidential supportvia text, available 24/7 |
Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained crisis volunteer who’ll provide active listening and collaborative problem-solving |
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The Mix
Free confidential telephone helpline and online service that aims to find young people the best help, whatever the problem |
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ChildLine
Confidential telephone counselling service for any child with a problem |
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How to make home learning work for your family.
We are realistic about what pupils will be able to do during this period, and we want
you to be too.
You are not expected to become teachers and your children are not expected to learn as they do in school. Simply providing them with some structure at home
will help them to adapt and keep the ‘habit of learning’.
The following tips are designed to help you create a positive learning environment
at home. See what works best for your household.
Create and stick to a routine if you can. This is what children are used to. For example, eat breakfast at the same time and make sure
they are dressed before starting the ‘school’ day – avoid staying in pyjamas.
Involve your children in setting the timetable where possible. It is a great opportunity for them to manage their own time better and it will give them ownership
Check in with your children and try to keep to the timetable, but be flexible. If a task/activity is going well or they want more time,
let it extend where possible
If you have more than one child at home, consider combining their timetables.
For example, they might exercise and do maths together – see what works for your household.
Designate a working space if possible, and at the end of the day have a clear cut-off to signal school time is over.
Stick the timetable up on the wall so everyone knows what they should be doing
when, and tick activities off throughout the day.
Take stock at the end of each week. What is working and what is not?
Ask your children, involve them too.
Distinguish between weekdays and weekends, to separate school life and home life.
Give them chores to do so they feel more responsible about the daily routine at home.
Ask them to help you cook and bake.
Accept that they will probably watch more TV/spend time on their phone – that is ok but you might want to set/agree some screen time limits.
Please do not worry about your children getting behind with learning. Everyone is in the same boat and whenthings get back to normal we will make sure we get everyone back on track.
Where to find learning resources online
There is plenty of support for parents online for everything from tools for home learning to PE:
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ORGANISATION |
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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BBC Bitesize Online resource for learning and revision. Starting on 20 April, you’ll also find daily lessons to support home learning |
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize |
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GoNoodle
Movement and mindfulness videos for primary children |
Website: https://www.gonoodle.com/ |
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STEM.org.uk
Free home learning resources for all ages in science, technology, engineering and maths |
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Twinkl
This popular site for teachers is now offering free daily activities for home learning |
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English National Ballet
Free ballet classes streamed daily |
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Where to turn to for help
It is okay to not be okay. We all need someone to talk to sometimes. If you feel overwhelmed, at risk of abuse or experiencing financial need, there are people you can call on for support:
Mental health
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ORGANISATION |
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Mental Health Foundation
Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities |
Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk |
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Mind
A mental health charity |
Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm) Website: www.mind.org.uk |
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PAPYRUS
Youth suicide prevention society |
Phone: 0800 068 4141 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 10pm, and 2pm to 10pm on weekends and bank holidays)
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org |
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Samaritans
Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair |
Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) Website: www.samaritans.org.uk |
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SANE
Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers |
Website: www.sane.org.uk/support |
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YoungMinds
A charity dedicated to children’s mental health |
Phone: Parents' helpline 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Website: www.youngminds.org.uk |
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Cruse Bereavement Care
Support for grief and bereavement |
Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm)
Website: www.cruse.org.uk |
Domestic violence
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ORGANISATION |
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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NSPCC
Child protection charity |
Phone: 0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child (24-hour helpline)
0800 1111 for children (ChildLine’s 24-hour helpline) |
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ORGANISATION |
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Website: www.nspcc.org.uk |
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Refuge
Advice on dealing with domestic violence |
Phone: 0808 2000 247 (24-hour helpline) Website: www.refuge.org.uk |