COVID-19 Information

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having an impact on everybody's lives. Regardless of their age, this will be a challenging time for many children and young people. How a child or young person responds to their individual situation will vary. Some may react immediately, some not at all, while others may show signs of difficulty later on. It is important to recognise that in most cases, these are normal responses to an abnormal situation.

How a child or young person responds to their individual situation may vary in different ways according to their individual characteristics and circumstances. For example, their age, physical or mental health condition, how they deal with stress, previous experiences or pre-existing mental or physical health condition. Children and young people want to feel assured that their parents and teachers can keep them safe. It will not always be possible to provide answers to all the questions that children and young people may ask, or to address all their concerns, so focus on listening and acknowledging their feelings to help them feel supported. There are some actions you can consider to support a child's or young person's mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic, including:

• • Look for changes

• • Making time to listen

• • Providing clear information about the situation

• • Being aware of your own reactions

• • Support safe ways for children and young people to connect with their friends

• • Creating a new routine

• • Limiting exposure to media and talking more about what they have seen and heard

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