As a nation the UK population probably thinks we're pretty resilient. There are the stories about people pulling together during World War Two and, more recently, the Covid epidemic. And they're right. We've stoically ploughed through these tumultuous times with a "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" mindset.
However, Covid touched every single one of us in some way. Babies were born in hospital with no birthing partner able to support the mother in labour. Children at school being significantly affected by two disrupted years of education. Many of these children will have picked up on the anxiety of parents, teachers and others to maintain social distancing, ensure isolation from those who may pass on the virus and quarantine for those unfortunate enough to be tested positive.
We shouldn't forget that, whilst some who contracted the virus had a week or so of flu-like symptoms, hundreds of thousands died. It's estimated that from 22,241,447 who have had the virus, 211,000 lost their lives. This includes friends and relatives who may have taken their final breath alone, with the smallest gathering of mourners at their funeral. The death toll continues; though isn't catalogued by the media in the way we came to expect throughout 2020 and 2021. The shocking numbers of the elderly, medical staff and people of colour left many in fear for their health.
Clearly, it isn't just the physical health of the nation, but the emotional wellbeing and mental health of swathes of people, that are on precarious ground. Social anxiety, OCD-like behaviour with washing and sanitising hands to newly established symptoms of agoraphobia have gripped many. The full legacy of Covid is yet to be seen; some who are struggling do so while hiding in plain sight. Large numbers of people are teetering on the edge. Work, home life and other commitments are driving some towards burnout. The additional challenges of the cost of living crisis will only serve to compound the issues faced by thousands of people. The concept of self-care has become something of a trend, but its necessity has become vital.
We must take care of our own emotional needs, particularly those who were affected by mental health issues pre-Covid. We must all look out for our loved ones, colleagues and our children. Not even the very young are immune; this is likely to play out in their behaviour. Effective support must be implemented at the earliest opportunity, with attention to children who have neurodivergent conditions. They need to have an understanding, relative to their aptitude, upon which to base their thoughts and questions.
Feeling safe at home and at school is paramount for all children and, as we move through this post-Covid era, they need support and reassurance to navigate through further adversities. Difficult conversations in some households about the financial pressures around the Christmas period are likely to be taking place, sooner rather than later. Frugality in general will bring stress and disappointment, but there must be honesty - don't make promises you can't keep. Give children encouragement to steer through problematic issues, shower them with words of strength and tenacity. Help them to use empowering statements; those 'golden nuggets' they can reach for when needed.
Be patient as children establish their 'new normal' and mindful that it will be reached at different times for every child. Shore up your own ability for adapting to difficult life experiences, with mental, emotional and behavioural flexibility for adjustment to those situations that are both within and outside of your control. Trust in yourself to overcome your doubts, doing your best is never a sign of failure and, most importantly, put your own oxygen mask on first.
Options for Building Resilience Support
Online Building Resilience Parent Workshop
This workshop offers support for parents where children may display patterns of behaviour consistent with an inability to manage issues, conflicts and feelings. This is particularly relevant where pupils are known factors that influence their behaviour within school. The workshop provides parents with a range of activities to help with practical strategies for building their children’s resilience. Its aims:
To develop an understanding of what resilience is and why it is important.
To have an awareness of the challenges for many children where resilience is needed.
To have an understanding of the role of family members and other adults in helping to build children’s resilience.
To be equipped with skills and techniques to help children build their resilience.
The workshop takes place in two 1-hour sessions with a week to try the activities given in Part 1 and share the outcomes in Part 2. There are handouts to refer to and activities at home that are good fun!
Cost: £10.00 for two hours - attendance at both sessions is necessary.
Online Building Resilience: Professionals Training
Tuesday 29th November 2022 at 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm or
Thursday 1st December 2022 at 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The training is for professionals working with children who display patterns of behaviour consistent with an inability to manage issues, conflicts and feelings. It can be used with small groups or whole classes of children and adapted for any age phase. Where pupils are known to have challenging lifestyles or difficult situations outside of school it is particularly beneficial to influence their behaviour positively within school. The training provides staff with theoretical support and practical strategies for building pupils’ resilience. The aims are:
To develop an understanding of the psychology of resilience and why it is important
To have an awareness of the challenges for many children for which resilience may be needed
To have an understanding of the role of adults in the building children’s resilience
To be equipped with skills to help children build their resilience
Cost: £25.00 per person for 3-hour training package
Training materials including slides, handouts and evaluation form are provided for attendees.
Building Resilience Training: Whole School CPD
This training is for any school or group of schools where children Year 5 and above display patterns of behaviour consistent with an inability to manage issues, conflicts and feelings. This is particularly relevant where pupils are known to have problematic circumstances, lifestyles or difficult relationships outside of school that impact their behaviour within school. The training provides staff with theoretical support and practical strategies for building pupils’ resilience.
Its aims are:
To develop an understanding of the psychology of resilience and why it is important
To have an awareness of the challenges for many children for which resilience may be needed
To have an understanding of the role of key adults in the building children’s resilience
To be equipped with skills to help children build their resilience
£350.00 for 2 hours in-person training, £400.00 for 3 hours in-person training
Building Resilience Support for Pupils
This training offers support for groups of children Year 5 and above who display patterns of behaviour consistent with an inability to manage issues, conflicts and feelings. Pupils may have unconventional and challenging lifestyles or difficult situations outside of school that influence their behaviour while in the school setting. The training provides pupils with a range of activities to help with practical strategies for building their resilience. Its aims are:
To have an awareness of some of the factors that can affect their behaviour
To be equipped with problem-solving skills to help build their resilience
To develop an understanding of why resilience is important
£85.00 per hour in-person interactive PSHE sessions with pupils
To book: https://www.aluna-abc.co.uk/payment
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