Support and Wellbeing during Remote Learning
During this time that we are once again accessing remote learning it is important to pay attention to our own wellbeing and that of those around us. You might be feeling overwhelmed, sad, or confused about the outbreak of coronavirus and feel worried about yourself, or your family and friends.
We know that another national lockdown has been difficult for our pupils and their families. We understand that the loss of social interaction with their extended families, peers, as well as all additional clubs and activities can contribute to feelings of loneliness.
At this time, the mental health and well-being of our pupils and families is paramount, we realise working from home and trying to support home learning and your child’s emotional well-being is difficult.
Therefore, we would like to offer the following sessions for parents/ carers.
Virual Wellbeing Sessions for our Parents and Carers
Tuesday 2nd February 7:30pm – 8:30 pm – Zones at Home / Remote Learning/ Difficult Conversations/ Signposting
Tuesday 9th February 7:30 pm – 8:30pm – Relaxation/ Support Through stories/ Difficult Conversations/ Signposting
Tuesday 23rd February 7:30pm – 8:30pm – Keeping in contact with peers/ families/ Signposting/ Any areas highlighted in feedback
The purpose of these sessions is to provide you with some strategies and resources that may be useful in supporting your child at home during this period. We will end each session with a general question and answer session.
These sessions will be run by Ms Vosloo and Mrs Pancutt, our Pastoral Care Worker.
For more information and to sign up for any of the sessions please see the letter below:
Virtual Wellbeing Sessions for Parents and Carers
How to help your wellbeing
Please use the useful links, mindfulness tips and ideas for keeping active to help you with your wellbeing at this time.
To maintain your wellbeing, it's important to keep talking and to keep mentally and physically active. There are also a number of very useful apps and online resources for you and your child.
As a school we use zones of regulation to help us all regulate our actions, children should be encouraged to talk about what zone they are in and to think about what tool they can use from their toolbox to help them.
YMCA Essex
The YMCA is offering a range of support services during the lockdown; Family Support, Digital Youthwork, Online Early Years, and Housing and Welfare support.
Whilst they are engaged in all these areas currently they have also worked to make extra capacity available at this time.
You can find out more about their four areas of activity here...
Essex County Council
Essex County Council have produced an excellent factsheet with top tips for staying emotionally healthy during self-isolation:
Mindfulness Apps and Resources.
Smiling Minds
Recommended by EWMHS Essex, the Smiling Minds app is used extensively in school, so the children should be very familiar with it.
Download it at: Smiling Minds
During this period Smiling Minds have also launched a new initiative called 'Thrive Inside' in the app; to help you stay calm and healthy within your home, while remaining calm and healthy inside your mind.
Positive Penguins
Positive Penguins is a lovely meditation app for children, developed to help them understand why they feel the way they do and help them challenge their negative thinking
Download it at: Positive Penguins
Other recommended apps are:
Dreamy Kid - meditation for children.
Headspace - mindfulness for the whole family, with a free 'weathering the storm' area specifically for this time.
Calm - there is a section for children, as well adults.
Cosmic Kids - yoga and mindfulness videos for children.
Physical Activity
Joe Wicks will be back offering free ‘PE lessons’ via his YouTube channel – The body coach.
Get up and give it a try and stay active!!
Mr J is also posting tips and hints, as well as PE activities, on Class Dojo - keep an eye out for these and get outside where possible.
Where to go for help – some more ideas
Childline
Childline - 0800 1111
NSPCC
NSPCC - 08088 005 000
Mind
Mind - 0300 123 3393