Adapting After Lockdown.
With schools resuming regular teaching across Australia after weeks of lockdown, some children will look forward to seeing their friends but for many others, returning to the classroom after an extended period will be challenging, especially for children and young people who are currently managing other life challenges that impact their capacity to adapt to change.
The urgent nature of the global response to COVID-19 has brought with it fast and unprecedented change to family, school and work life. The largely invisible but highly pervasive threat of the virus has been a testing time for everyone – with high levels of stress and anxiety further amplified by the realities of restrictions and uncertainty about whether and when life will be ‘normal’ again. Read more of this article from the Centre for Children and Young People. Download the resource.
Now, following weeks (months for some), without social interaction with friends, peers, extended family and other trusted adults – children and young people may be experiencing a range of emotions and behaviours. The array of change and unpredictability can leave us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. These feelings are normal and expected during times of transition and change. As professionals in education and support roles, we play a critical role in helping the transition of students back to school. There are familiar and core concepts in the literature about how to best support children and young people during difficult times. Please have a look at this new resource researched and written by CYRA and Seasons for Growth program author Prof Anne Graham AO, Director of the Centre for Children and Young People, SCU. LINK to new resource.
Children and young people rely on trusted adults to help manage transitions and so we have prepared an easy-to-read factsheet to support parents, carers and professionals – Self-Care & Wellbeing: During Times of Uncertainty.
ONLINE LEARNING
To support professionals who are keen to train in the Seasons for Growth program, we have transitioned to a virtual training model and have received wonderful feedback! Professionals who have recently completed training have recognised the need for the program in our current climate and are already making plans to support the children and young people in their care as soon as they are able.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US
We would also like to say thank you to all of you in the community and particularly the young people within the school communities who organised a fundraiser to donate funds to help those impacted by the bushfires. Your fundraiser will enable the ‘Stormbirds’ program to help bush-fire affected communities, like Glen Innes.
Your donation gives children access to the program, books and helps to train a Companion.
Fiona McCallum and all the Good Grief Team