Coronavirus Advice and Support

Resources and advice for supporting children and families around COVID-19

Talking to children and young people around COVID-19

We appreciate that this can be difficult when as adults we do not have the answers ourselves. Here are some examples of useful guidance about how to talk with children and young people about COVID-19.

• A free information book explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler - follow this link.  https://nosycrow.com/blog/released-today-free-information-book-explaining-coronavirus-children-illustrated-gruffalo-illustrator-axel-scheffler/?fbclid=IwAR0fVhLjf36Gwt5839PAxs00SIrJ4hNSJX1MmZI9lzcmmzb5r8pOqxOKNaw

• The British Psychological Society website: https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Policy/Policy%2020Files/Talking%20to%20children%20about%20coronavirus.pdf

• MIND publication: https://www.mind.org.hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ResponseCoronavirusENG6.2.2020-.pdf

• The UNICEF website: https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-talk-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19
• Mencap website: https://www.mencap.org.uk/advice-and-support/health/coronavirus
• Families Newsletter - activities and resources  during the lock down. 
  • https://issuu.com/familiesonline/docs/leeds_westyorksl1?fr=sNDQ2MTEyMzkxMzQ

10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus 

• https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmpb0BRCBARIsAG7y4zYbSufLw6LfS71GXeOJu4uJyaQYO4zQjTHw60AbTxhV_2JquZmd8VYaAszTEALw_wcB

Coronavirus guidance

• https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19

If you're worried about your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak

• https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/support-and-information/if-youre-having-difficult-time/if-youre-worried-about-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

For those children and young people who may struggle to understand the current situation and may be feeling anxious there are a range of social stories about coronavirus.

Coronavirus social stories

• http://www.millfields.hackney.sch.uk/uploads/2019/Corona%20Virus%20Info%20for%20Young%20Children.pdf.pdf

• Elsa Support Corona stories: https://www.elsa-support.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Story-about-Coronavirus.pdf

• Online social story https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf?fbclid=IwAR23zxNlbEumpw4oKlM7Xy3VlKnA25b8Gi53N6YiFIeKB9Vx0LQypSPYzzg

• CORONAVIRUS: RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING TOOLKIT. This free toolkit is our third coronavirus toolkit. It includes resources for school staff, as well as parents, to use with vulnerable children or children with SEND, as well as a resource pack for staff wellbeing and practical activities for adults and children to help stay mentally well during this time. The link is https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/resources/coronavirus-resources-for-mental-health-and-wellbeing-toolkit-3/

An example of a social story from @ZonesofReg in case of school closure.