Mental health initiative launched in Yorkshire to help parents and children

A team of researchers from the Sheffield Hallam University, have teamed up with a UK trauma organisation, and launched a new tool with the aim to support parents and children with their mental health during the coronavirus lockdown.

The work is collaboration between academics leading the South Yorkshire Futures initiative and Trauma Informed Schools UK (TISUK) and Nifty Fox Creative.

Sally Pearse, one of the project's leads from South Yorkshire Futures, said the project started due to the demand for trauma informed resources to support parents, carers and schools to support children and their families’ mental health and wellbeing during these unprecedented times.

"People tend to think of trauma as a significant event like a car accident but in fact trauma is the response to any event that frightens us or makes us feel that our life is out of control and when we are not supported to cope with this," she said.

"Many adults will be experiencing this pandemic as traumatic, particularly where we have no-one available to help us make sense of what has happened.

"On top of this people will also be trying to support their children who have lost their familiar structures and routines and may have lost their sense of the world as a safe place.

"The trauma informed principles have never been more important to help support children who are suffering anxiety and trauma as a result of the current situation and the resources we have produced will hopefully support that."

The innovative resources were launched this week, and are being distributed to schools and parents through councils across the region from today and are also available on the South Yorkshire Futures website.The resources focus on how to talk to children about the situation, the importance of play and how this can help children and young people to open up about their feelings, helpful activities as well as support for the health and wellbeing of the workforce.

In addition there is also advice and guidance for schools and settings to enable them to support the mental health and wellbeing of their staff who may still be coming into work to support the children of key workers.

Julie Harmieson, co-director for Trauma Informed Schools UK said: "These circumstances make it difficult to manage our anxiety and inevitably our mood and behaviour will be affected. Just as our mood and behaviour may change, so will a child’s.

"Their fear can manifest itself in many ways including nightmares and change in appetite which are understandable and normal responses to high stress and anxiety.

"One of the most important things to do to support children at this uncertain and ever-changing time is contain their emotions by being steady for them."

The work is part of a wider response to support support families and children across South Yorkshire by Sheffield Hallam University.

To access the new resources visit here. Join our new coronavirus Facebook group for the latest confirmed news and advice as soon as we get it.

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