Integrating children back to school in NSW

Published: 01 Oct 2021 Tagged: allied health professionalsallied health professionsback-to-schoolchildrencounsellorsCOVID-19COVID19Educationencouragementencouraging wordshigh schoolhigh schoolerskindergartenlockdownmental healthmotivational wordspandemicspositive behaviourpositive behaviour for learningpositive behaviour supportpositive parentingpositive psychologypositive reinforcementpositive supportpositive teachingpre-schoolerspreschoolerpreschoolersprimary schoolersre-adjustmentschoolschoolssecondary schoolersSpeakablestudentsstudyteacherstherapists

NSW’s crisis cabinet has decided for an earlier return of children to school, which is a relief for the educational system to ensure students have their social and learning environments back towards their mental health and educational performance.

The first classes to return to school are the Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 on October 18th, followed by Years 2, 6 and 11 on October 25th. On November 1st, the remaining grades will be back, ensuring a relative normality to schools.

However, many details must be taken in consideration for this return, in order to avoid new outbreaks or negative effects over the school operations:

• School restrictions include:
• Staggered lunch breaks
• No assemblies, bands or choirs
• Additional cleaning of facilities
• Permanent supply of masks
• All staff, including teachers, must be fully vaccinated to return to work. As well, all of them must wear masks.
• Students will not need to be vaccinated but are strongly encouraged to.
• In case of any outbreak (cases exceeding 50 per 100,000 people in any LGA), the area enters in lockdown which means schools being closed.
• It’s still unclear if school buses will operate – the recommendation is to go to and back from school by walking if the distance is reasonable, since outdoors walking is still the safest way to move between places.
• HSC exams will be delayed until November 9th, with Year 12 students having greater access to their teachers for this important exam. As well, NSW government assures that it will not affect University admissions.

Many parents are overwhelmed with the high volume of demands and stress from keeping children at home, which has affected children’s mental health and need to be checked and treated with every means necessary for the kids’ future. Among the effective actions to be done for children re-adjustment back to face-to-face classes, we could mention:

• Open talk. Children might be feeling different things such as anxiety, fear of fitting in or belonging, new dynamics with friends and any other emotional issue the child might have. Parents should acknowledge their feelings and give advice for them to feel more confident when returning.
• Preparation for a different world. There is a “new normal” that includes different procedures for health and safety when at school. Children need to be reminded of such procedures in order to protect themselves, school staff and their own families.
• They’re not alone. Sometimes, people (which include children) might believe they are the only ones having specific issues. A child might think the same thing, as if he or she was the only one with social anxiety, fear from the potential exposure to the virus or any other issue. Parents can remind them that they are not alone in this, and that they can even be great friends and supporters when seeing a classmate sad and helping out with their feelings.
• Speak-up encouragement. While at school, parents will not be there with their children, so it might make some children feel unsupported, affecting their confidence. Parents must remind them that teachers and school staff are there to take care of them, and any concern or complaint must be shared with someone from school in order to ensure children feel safe and protected.
• Professional help, if necessary. It is possible, however not desired, that all the support from parents, friends and school are not enough to ensure the child to feel psychologically well. If this is the case, professional help might be necessary, with a counsellor, therapist or similar allied healthcare professionals to help the child solve such issues.

In this new world, children urgently need educational and psychological support to overcome so many unexpected challenges and be able to grow safe and sound towards a fulfilled adulthood.