COVID 19

Contact details for a helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

No school should close in response to a suspected (or confirmed) COVID-19 case unless directed to do so by Public Health England.

The importance of hygiene

Personal hygiene is the most important way we can tackle COVID-19. Please help us in sharing simple and effective hand hygiene messages.

Public Health England has a dedicated webpage with a range of posters and digital materials at:

https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-coronavirus-/resources

Where to find the latest information

What Parents and Carers need to know...Autumn 2020 English

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Guidance for full opening of schools:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

Stay at home guidance for households:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

Updates on COVID-19:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Guidance for educational settings:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Travel advice for those travelling and living overseas:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

Wellbeing

Your Child's Mental Health

Life is full of uncertainty, and the COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress and anxiety levels in children and adults in an unprecedented way. Now is the time to do all we can to protect our mental health and the mental health of those we love. Children, teens, and young adults are particularly affected by intensified uncertainty.

Click on the below buttons to be directed to websites that may help you manage your children's mental health during this time.

The Youth Mental Health Project

https://ymhproject.org/covid-19-and-the-mental-health-of-your-children/

Child Mind Institute

https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/

Children's Mental Health Campaign

https://childrensmentalhealthcampaign.org/resources/covid-19-resources

Young Minds

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/

Talking to children about feelings

If you're worried about a child, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful.

Children express themselves through play as well as words. You can learn a lot about how they're feeling by simply spending time with them and watching them play.

Stressed and upset children often play fighting games with their toys. Comment on this by saying, "There are a lot of fights going on" or "It seems pretty frightening". This can help to get them talking about what's bothering them.

Even if you do not start a conversation, you'll be making the child feel more comfortable with you, paving the way for them to open up to you about their problems.

If you can get them talking, gently ask what's wrong. But if the child does not want to open up, let the subject go, then repeat the process at another time until they're ready to tell you what's bothering them.

If your child is worried about scary news

In this digital age it is virtually impossible to stop children from finding out about upsetting news events, such as terrorism, war and violent crime, that they may find traumatic.

Advice from the Mental Health Foundation includes:

do not try to blackout all exposure to news; this is both unlikely to succeed and could actually increase their fears
be truthful about what has happened
let them know it is normal to be concerned and tell them you are also concerned
encourage them to ask questions if they seem unclear about what has happened
reassure them that you will do everything you can to keep them safe

The Mental Health Foundation has more advice about talking to your children about scary world news.

9 Mental Health Activities to do with your children

HERE

Supporting Children, Young People and Families emotional wellbeing and mental health on their return to education

· The Essex Wellbeing Service will be providing navigators to help you find the right support for pupil’s and their families emotional wellbeing and mental health needs on the return to education. This is an early intervention offer to provide additional support to education settings on top of what you will already be offering. The Essex Wellbeing Service has developed a navigator service to both signpost and provide a triage service depending on the needs of your pupils and their families.

o To access the Essex Wellbeing Service navigators, phone this number: 0300 303 9988

o This is accessible from the 8^th March 2021.

o Families can use this directly, or request support from school/setting staff.

o There will be promotional materials available to share this vital information with families.

· Recovery and Return to Educational Settings suite of resources has two further webinars for families:

o Part 1: Looking after yourself (28mins)

o Part 2: Looking after your family (39mins)

o Essex Local Offer: Coronavirus support wellbeing and mental health

Livestream Mass in the Diocese of Brentwood

Mass centres and times.