As schools reopen, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a mental health “perfect storm” for children and young people.
The warning comes on the back of figures obtained by BBC Scotland via an FOI request which indicate that the number of referrals for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has dropped by a staggering 57 per cent* between April and June 2019 and April and June 2020.
These range from a 28 per cent fall in requests for NHS Orkney to 80 per cent in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. NHS Lothian reported a drop of 48%.
The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
It has urged the Scottish Government to work with authorities and invest significantly in mental health services as children return to school and to ensure that teachers and other staff are aware of the services on offer for young people needing support.
The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a ‘perfect storm’ for our young people, with increased demand coupled with cuts in services.
“While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as mental health services face being overwhelmed due to greatly increased demand.
“The Government needs to work urgently with the relevant authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible for young people and their parents or carers.
“Mental health services must be given funding and resources equal to that of physical health provision and this pandemic has ushered in an urgency and necessity that cannot be ignored.
“Not just the NHS but also third sector and other independent organisations who play such a key role in addressing mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face having a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”
Support needed for children as they return to school,says NSPCC
An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson said: “We know that many children in Scotland have suffered difficult and traumatic experiences over the past few months.
“During lockdown, we saw a rise in contacts to Childline about mental and emotional health and our NSPCC helpline made 40% more referrals to Police Scotland and local authorities.
“Now, as children across the country return to school, it is crucial they are given the support they need to help them recover from any mental and physical harm. The Scottish Government, local authorities and health boards need to ensure that they have sufficient resources in place to respond to a likely increased need for therapeutic services.”
Parents in Edinburgh are being urged to give their kids an early lesson on the importance of keeping healthy and hydrated as part of their planning on the long-awaited return to school.
Scots health and nutrition expert Amanda Hamilton is supporting a drive by Scottish Water to ensure that every child’s back to school regime includes a reusable water bottle along with the standard new blazer, gym kit and pencil case.
As part of a family’s daily school regime, it is recommended to fill a pupil’s water bottle at home before getting to classes.
Amanda, a mother-of-two and best-selling author, said although parents should be encouraged at all times to educate their children about the benefits of water – but the start of the new school term, especially after the enforced lengthy shutdown of schools, is the perfect platform.
Amanda said: “Ensuring children to have a regular water intake throughout the school day is a vital aspect to maintain good health and a healthy learning environment.
“It has been proven that through drinking water and staying hydrated children are more attentive and focused during lessons for longer periods of time.
“We are lucky to have safe and delicious water from the tap, we should all be making the most of it. For parents trying to wean kids off sugary drinks, it can help to add a slice or orange, lemon or even a sprig of mint to tap water for extra flavour.
“Like many families, in my home we do all we can do reduce the use of plastic. We’ve made it part of the daily routine to re-fill water bottles from the tap.
“By highlighting the benefits of a reusable water bottle and filling up from the tap, we are helping to instil in children the small daily habits that can make a big difference. The reality is that this is a message for all ages – so using a reusable water bottle is just as applicable for staff returning to workplaces too.”
The advice comes as Scottish Water continues to expand its ‘Your Water Your Life’ campaign which aims to encourage people to top up from the tap to benefit the environment, their health and their pocket.
Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, said: ‘Your Water Your Life’ aims to highlight the importance water plays in the lives of people across Scotland.
“Every child needs to be aware of the benefits of a reusable water bottle – and of just how easy it is to use one to top up with tap water and so continue to enjoy the benefits of our nation’s greatest natural asset.
“We’d always encourage parents and children to make sure they have a water bottle included as a key part of their back-to-school planning, in the same way as sorting out new trainers or a school bag.”
To encourage people to stay hydrated on the go, a network of Top up Taps is being installed by Scottish Water throughout the country. Nearly 30 taps are already sited – the first one being outside the Scottish Parliament – and the aim is to have 70 taps installed at public spaces by March 2021.
Children 1st responding to concerns of anxious parents
Children 1st Parentline offering new service to support parents as schools restart
Tips and advice, and webchat for online now available on Children 1st website
PARENTS worried about their child returning to or starting school have a new dedicated support service for practical help and advice.
Children 1st’s Parentline have launched the new service before Scotland’s schools re-open next week after receiving an increasing number of calls from anxious parents and carers who have worries about children back to school.
Parentline, which is staffed by a highly skilled team from Children 1st, will offer parents and carers specific help and advice about how best to support children with practical and emotional issues as schools reopen.
Mary Glasgow, the Chief Executive of Children 1st, (above) said: “As a parent, I know how tough it has been over the last few months with the schools being closed and all the challenges that has brought.
“Despite everything, children and families come through that and now the next challenge for many parents is the first day of school.
“Over the last few weeks, lots of parents and carers have been coming to us with worries about their children’s return to school. This includes parents with children starting P1 and S1 who have particular concerns about whether their children will cope.
“That is why we have set up this new service so parents and carers can talk through any worries or fears they have and get advice on how best to support their children. Children 1st Parentline is there for every family. Please do get in contact over the phone, online or through webchat if you think a chat might help. ”
Children 1st Parentline has been offering support to families for over 20 years. It has supported hundreds of families throughout lockdown as calls soared and traffic to the charity’s webpages quadrupled, when compared to the same period last year. Now, the charity is hearing more worries from parents about what the return to school will mean, especially for the many children who have struggled to cope emotionally during lockdown.
Parentline can be contacted over the phone on 08000 28 22 33 or via webchat at www.children1st.org.uk/parentline. A wide range of additional resources for parents and carers can also be found on the website.
Ann Jarvis, from Children 1st Parentline, put together some of her top tips to help make the first day back at school go as smoothly as possible. She said: “By just sitting with your child and listening to any concerns and worries your child may have can make all the difference.
“Allow them to tell their story and really listen to what they’re saying.
“Bear in mind that none of us really like change – but change is much easier when we know what’s coming and can talk through our feelings.
“Talking and listening to your child about what they expect on their first day is a great way to prepare. Meanwhile, it’s important for parents to give themselves a break and accept that everyone is learning.”
Ann also says it’s important to be prepared.
She added: “There’s plenty of advice and information from schools about practical preparations: uniform, shoes, bag, lunch, labels on clothes.
“Perhaps ask your child if they would like to help you pack their school bag so they know exactly where everything is and will also help them get into a routine.
“Talking and listening to your child about what they expect on their first day is also a great way to prepare. ”
In addition, routines help children to feel secure and settled so Ann would encourage parents to talk through the basics and perhaps do a trial run before their first day.
Pupils will have a phased return to City of Edinburgh Council schools during the first week of the new term.
Staff will be in schools on Monday and Tuesday next week preparing to welcome pupils back from Wednesday 12 August. Pupils will be in for the rest of the week on a phased basis with all of them back 100% on Monday 17 August.
Arrangements for all primary, secondary and special schools are outlined in a letter from the Executive Director of Communities and Families, Alistair Gaw, that was issued to parents yesterday (Wednesday 5 August).
The letter is the latest in a series of updates for parents over the summer holidays which has included a series of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers and minutes from two meetings of the Consultative Committee With Parents including one on Monday night.
The latest ‘Delivery Plan’ outlining the steps that have been taken to ensure schools can reopen safely next week will be discussed by Councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee today.
The ‘Delivery Plan’ contains details on areas such as: hygiene, health and safety, transition support for children with Additional Support Needs, cleaning, ventilation, physical distancing measures, health and wellbeing, equity, raising attainment, school meals and breakfast/after school clubs.
It also includes arrangements for the detailed contingency plans the Council is putting in place if the virus is not suppressed and schools have to resort to 50% attendance with the blended learning model in place.
In addition funding announcements by the Scottish Government mean the Council will be able to recruit around 100 newly qualified teachers and purchase over 2,000 digital devices for those pupils most in need.
Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener, said: “One of the highest priorities for the Council is ensuring that pupils and staff return to the safest possible environment next week. We’re doing this by following the most up to date Government and Health Protection Scotland advice and putting in place strict hygiene measures to keep everyone safe.
“Having a phased reopening over the first three days ensures pupils will have time to familiarise themselves with the new arrangements in their schools. Our teaching staff and other Council teams have been working tirelessly in getting schools ready for reopening next week and I want to thank them for all their tireless efforts in achieving this.
“It is also reassuring to know that we have robust contingency plans should they be required. We really hope they aren’t needed but I’m confident these detailed plans demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the best teaching and learning for all pupils across the whole city.”
Cllr Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener, said: “I know parents will be relieved to finally see our young people returning to school next week. Everyone has been working really hard to achieve the goal of getting every child and young person back to school where they belong and a phased return means they will be able to get used to the new arrangements after such a long absence.
“There’s no doubt that these past five months have been the most challenging periods ever for the world of education. It’s put a huge strain on both our teaching staff and families struggling at home so an enormous amount of praise must go to everyone who has pulled together in these difficult times – most of all to the children and young people across the city who have shown such amazing resilience and courage in these difficult times.
“I also want to reassure parents that when learning and teaching starts again next Wednesday we are doing everything we can to make sure the principles of consistency and equity are at the heart of our plans.”
The Scottish Government guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term is available on their website.
Back to school tip 1: Keep connected – Relationships matter
Your Child Support your child to contact a friend from school, chat online or spend some time together before the start of term. For children who may find this difficult, help plan an activity or discuss ideas of what they could talk about.
Think of ways your child can feel connected to you when they return to school, E.g. give them a picture, a written message or a familiar object that they can take with them in their pocket or bag. Schools will give advice on what your child can bring with them initially.
You Arrange to meet or call a friend or another parent, have a chat and share your plans for returning to school. Suggest walking to school together or arrange to meet up after school starts.
Together Share anything important that has happened during lockdown with school at the start of term- let them know about any family changes, positive achievements or challenges experienced. Your child may want to draw a picture or take a photo of something positive they have done to share with a staff member or their friends.
Back to school tip 2: Be kind to others – Everyone needs kindness
Your Child Encourage your child to think of ways they can be kind to others and pay attention and praise your child when you notice them doing this. “It was kind of you to… share with your friend/ include them in your group at break”
Children learn by watching others- show or tell your child ways you have been kind to others. For example, “I had a chat with our neighbour, she looked a bit sad.”
You Notice other parents on their own in and around the school, you never know who may welcome a friendly greeting or chat.
Above all, be kind to yourself. We’ve all been through exceptional circumstances.
Back to school tip 3: Talk things over – It’s good to talk…and listen
Your Child Notice when is a good time and make space for your child to talk about things. This may be walking the dog, in the car or at bedtime. Create opportunities for your child to build a relationship with another family member, trusted adult or professional.
Be available to actively listen to what your child is thinking or how they are feeling. Name what you think they are feeling, let them know you understand and try not to jump in too soon with a solution. For example. “It sounds like you’re worried about having no one to play with, I can see why that’s upsetting you.”
After the school day, your child may need time to wind down before telling you about their day. You could try sharing something about your day first.
You Think about who you can talk to about any concerns or worries you have, such as a friend, family member or maybe a professional.
Back to school tip 4: Look on the bright side – Find positive moments, however small, each day
Our brains are wired to notice threats, sometimes that stops us seeing the good stuff. That can mean we have to really try to be positive.
Your child Help your child identify the positive things about lockdown easing or returning to school. Who might they be looking forward to seeing or what might they be looking forward to doing?
You Consider the positives for you of lockdown easing and children returning to school.
Together It can be helpful to make time each day to think of one or two positive things. It may be nice to write these down in diary or post them in a jar, share them with your child and listen to their ideas. You could have a phrase like “Today I loved…. playing football with you”
Back to school tip 5: Challenge your mindset – Remember we can cope…we just did
Your child It can be unsettling not knowing what may happen. Help your child focus on all the things they do know, such as how to get to school, what they will wear, seeing a friend. Introduce new information gradually as it becomes available.
Everyone is a unique individual, discuss with your child the little things that they can do or have already achieved. Remind them of these skills and successes when embarking on a new challenge.
You It is normal that many children and parents will be feeling anxious, try to focus on how you will manage rather than what might go wrong. Show confidence, even if you are feeling a bit wobbly, it helps that your child sees that you have a plan to carry out together.
Back to school tip 6: Take a moment – We all need some time out
Your child Reflect on what you have noticed helps or may help your child to cope with new or difficult situations or emotions such as listening to music, jumping on the trampoline, etc. It might be helpful to practice new coping strategies together and plan for how these can be used when things are tricky.
You Being a parent can be really tough, doing things to look after our own wellbeing helps to manage stress, boost our confidence and makes us more able to cope with the ups and downs. Try to prioritise doing something that improves your wellbeing – it might help to set aside some time each day. You could- chat with a friend, go for a walk, read a book, go fishing, etc.
Together If appropriate share with your child a way you have managed a difficult situation.
Back to school tip 7: Make a difference – Small things can make a difference
Your child Discuss with your child what they did to make a difference to someone in your community or your environment over the past few months. Like displaying a rainbow, shopping for a grandparent or cutting the grass for a neighbour.
Acknowledge the small things – for example notice your child when they help a sibling, put litter in the bin, help around the home.
You Talk about who or what made a difference to you or your family during lockdown.
This could be something that seems small, like someone calling when you needed cheering up. Consider how you made a difference and what else you’d like to do.
Together By each of us washing our hands, wearing a mask and keeping a distance we help protect others.
Back to school tip 8: Get active – Keep going, or get started
It’s proven that physical activity boosts our sense of well-being.
Your child If your child started to be more active during lockdown, think about how this can be continued. If not, what small steps could you encourage. Be curious about what may interest them and plan how they could try something new.
You A lot of us were more active individually as well as together as a family – playing games, going for cycle rides and walks together. We will have noticed the benefit; plan how you can keep these activities going.
Together As lockdown eases we can benefit from more exercise outdoors and reduce some of family screen time and online activity.
Remember little rewards to yourself and family can help establish a good habit!
Back to school tip 9: Respect yourself – Be proud of your child and yourself
Your child Help your child make a list of the things they have learnt and enjoyed over the last few months. E.g. learned to hula hoop, baking, mountain biking. Share and celebrate these with family and friends.
You Think about and share all the ways you and the family have adjusted to the challenges over the last few months and acknowledge together, the strengths you’ve shown. There may have been ups and downs but remind yourself of the things you managed to do. Such as using video calls, cooking family meals, supporting your child with their learning or exploring your neighbourhood.
Together You may wish to put together a scrap book or time capsule to help remember this extraordinary time. It could include photographs of the things you did at home, news articles, letters, interviews from different family members, etc.
Back to school tip 10: Have a goal – A new journey starts with a step…
Your child Talk to your child about what they would like to learn or get better at by the end of this term, such as a sport’s skill, a new hobby, being able to cook something, dress themselves, etc.
You Think about something positive you can start to do, or you keep doing when your child returns to school. E.g. start a new class, exercise, meet a friend, complete a home improvement project.
‘Exhausted’ staff try to recover from summer term, but few anticipate opportunity to switch off and relax
Lockdown and home learning has presented huge challenges for parents and children, but how have teachers fared?
As the school holidays begin, they have been reflecting on the strangest term in their careers – and they say that it was a period of significantly increased workload, but less actual teaching.
And most believe there is little prospect of a stress-free summer break, with a number starting preparation for the next academic year as soon as schools have broken up.
A survey of hundreds of primary school teachers by lesson resources experts PlanBee revealed that 60 percent of primary school teachers had seen a marked increase in their workload during the summer term, compared to previous years, as schools scrambled to introduce completely new ways of learning in a matter of just weeks.
This chimes with the report from the National Foundation for Education Research found that, overall, 90 per cent of parents whose children were not attending school in April 2020, reported receiving some school work to complete at home. At least 94 per cent of primary pupils received school work. Close to half of primary (42 per cent) received at least three offline lessons a day.
For 40 percent of recipients to the PlanBee survey, lesson planning and preparation took the majority of the additional time, while for a quarter of respondents, it was communicating with parents.
But 32 percent said the time they spent on actual teaching had fallen, while 39 percent said they had done less marking and feedback.
Over half report feeling well supported by their schools as they grappled with the demands of the summer term. On a scale of 1-5, with five being the highest rating, 51 percent gave their schools top marks, feeling ‘very supported’.
But the media’s reporting of changes to schools, and the role of teachers, were an area of conflict. Nearly half (49 percent) of respondents gave journalists the lowest ranking on a scale of one to five.
The government, too, could do better. Nearly 40 percent of primary school teachers gave ministers the lowest ranking, saying they didn’t feel supported. And only 2 percent gave the government top ranking, reporting that they felt ‘very supported’.
Are holidays a time of rest and recuperation for the teaching profession? Apparently not. Most described themselves as ‘exhausted’ – with one respondent saying it ‘was a different type of exhausted’ from other years.
Many reported being ‘relieved’ the term was over. Some 42 percent had already started preparation for next academic year during the summer term, predicting that lesson planning would occupy by far the biggest draw on their time. Over a quarter of respondents (27 percent) said there preparation for next term begin at the start of the holiday.
One respondent commented: ‘There is far too much prep and planning we need to recharge over the summer. Especially mentally.’
‘Part of me enjoys getting things ready for a new school year,’ said another, ‘but part of me resents the time I spend doing this that could be spent with my family.’
Another complained that it is ‘portrayed in the media that we have six weeks off!’.
This snapshot is backed by a survey from Education Support carried out during the summer term which found that as school closures, home teaching and learning continued, over half (59 per cent) of primary school teachers said they are feeling higher stress levels than usual.
Some 10 percent of PlanBee survey respondents say that they will have no opportunity at all to relax and switch off from school during the holidays while 27 percent rated their chances at two, on a one-to-five scale, with five being the best chance of putting school work behind them. Just 9 percent ranked their chances of switching off at five, the highest level.
Teacher back at school after covid-19 quarantine and lockdown, disinfecting desks at break time.
Catherine Lynch of PlanBee said: ‘The survey findings, which were gathered just as term was ending, provide a really interesting snapshot of the state of the profession – ‘exhausted’, in a word.
“The government made huge demands of teachers during lockdown and the results are clear to see. Teachers are used to being tired at the end of the school year, but this year is clearly different in terms of what the term has taken out of them and their feelings of trepidation at the prospect of what the next one will bring.’
The Scottish Government is expected to confirm 11th August as the return to school date later today.
The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling on schools to provide all autistic children with a personalised transition plan to help with their return to school in August.
The lock down has been extremely challenging for many families with autistic children. The huge change to routine and daily life together with strict restrictions resulting from the lockdown has led to distress for many autistic children putting families under huge pressure, often with very limited support.
According to the Scottish Government there are 6500 autistic children across Scotland. A third of autistic children also have a learning disability and, in many cases, also mental health difficulties.
Families have been under huge pressure juggling home schooling and working from home as well as supporting their autistic children. Some schools have provided specialist educational support throughout the lockdown while many others have not.
Families have reported that some home education packages received from schools have been either poor quality or generic and not differentiated for their child’s needs, so they have struggled to home school effectively and are worried that their children have fallen behind.
Similarly, many autistic children have now settled into a different routine, with limited social interaction outside of the family. They may well have been affected by the virus itself whether through illness of a parent or relative or even bereavement which can be all the more traumatic if that person also had a role in providing care and support.
All of these things combined mean that many autistic children will find returning to school in August difficult and in some cases even distressing, particularly as there are likely to be fundamental changes to daily school life.
NAS Scotlandare therefore calling on schools to make sure that every autistic child has a personalised transition plan to aid their return to school in August.
This might include visits prior to school starting, more autism awareness among staff, safe spaces, accessible information and videos showing any changes to layouts or school rules as well as a principle contact for parents.
Nick Ward, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland said:“Many autistic children will have been out of school for over 4 months by the time the new term begins. Some have coped very well. Others however, have struggled under the strict restrictions and huge change to routine and we’ve heard from families under severe pressure with profound impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
“We know that change can be incredibly challenging for autistic people. It is important that transition back into school is handled sensitively and in a personalised way.
“Transitions are already hard for autistic children, often because of a lack of support or understanding about autism, and that’s why we’re calling on schools to make sure that each and every autistic child has a personalised plan with input from parents to make the transition as smooth as possible. We don’t feel that this is too much to ask in a system which should be focused on getting it right for every child.”
Suzanne who lives in Dunfermline said:“The lock down has been hugely challenging for us as a family. I’ve had to stop my Open University course together with my volunteering in order to care for and educate by two autistic children.
“Callum has quite significant needs and doesn’t understand the restrictions so it has been difficult to follow social distancing and I’m worried it will be very hard when he goes back to school as he has a compulsion to run up and touch or hug people.
“Emma is very different and is quite quiet. She has enjoyed lockdown to some extent, particularly with us being together as a family. She is however, very anxious about returning to school and has really struggled with sleep because she is so worried.
“Both my children have very different needs and so their transition back into school will need to be done with lots of understanding and support. The school have been quite helpful in my case and have offered to talk things through but I worry not everyone out there will get the same level of help.”
Detailed arrangements are being put in place by the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure the safest return possible for pupils and staff when schools reopen in August.
Following the announcement by the Scottish Government last month, all pupils will return on Wednesday 12 August, a week earlier than programmed.
In accordance with national guidance, social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments will be essential to keep children and staff safe, with the result that not all children will be able to return to school at the same time.
As such, schools are planning that 33% of their pupils will be in school at any one time. Every pupil will have a mix of teaching in school and learning at home and the days they attend will be determined by their school.
Teaching will take place from Mondays to Thursdays with all children attending for whole day and Fridays used by staff to support home learning. Limited key worker childcare support will continue throughout the week including Fridays during normal school hours.
Nursery and primary children will be grouped together to enable family members to attend school on the same days. In secondary schools, pupils will be grouped together either by year group or family group depending on the individual arrangements made by their school.
Pupils at special schools will be in for 50% of the week with the majority offering two full days in school and the rest as home learning.
Individual schools will be in direct contact with parents/carers to let them know final details of the arrangements for pupils.
Education Convener, Councillor Ian Perry, said:“The past three months have been very challenging for the world of education and I want to thank parents, carers and staff in our schools who continue to support our children with home learning and keyworker learning and childcare.
“The health and wellbeing of our children, young people and staff has been at the forefront of our planning for their return to their schools in August. We believe these plans represent the safest return to school as possible for them and in a way that best supports the quality of their learning and their safety
“We are making sure the guidance and advice from both Health Protection Scotland and Scottish Government is being strictly followed when it comes to social distancing, hygiene regimes and risk assessments – it’s essential that we keep our children and staff safe.
“This new blended model is an improvement on the current home learning arrangements, and I want to reassure parents that where possible we review, refine and improve our approach so we can maximise the proportion of in-school learning.”
Education Vice Convener, Cllr Alison Dickie, said:“School recovery lies at the heart of helping our city back on its feet, and I want to begin with a thank you to our teachers and parents and especially the wonderful children and young people of our city.
“This has been an unprecedented time for all of them and I am acutely aware of those who already faced challenges on a daily basis, and to whom school is at times a haven. They are at the heart of our plans.
“Children and young people have missed their teachers, and their teachers them. They have missed their friends and the inspiring and holistic learning environments of our modern classrooms. It’s important too that we build on the home aspect of our blended learning, so that our children feel fully connected and supported.
“Lockdown has also reminded us that learning is wider than just the classroom, and this is an opportunity to realise the full potential of community learning. From our youth workers and After School Clubs, to a range of third partners and community organisations, all have a part to play in this recovery process.”
As schools are starting a week earlier than planned, the summer holidays in 2021 will begin one week earlier, with the school year finishing on Friday 25 June.
Education Secretary John Swinney has published a summary of the scientific advice behind the plans to re-open schools and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings.
In agreement with councils, professional associations and parent representatives, all schools will return on 11 August while ELC settings such as nurseries and playgroups will open over the summer.
The plans are contingent on scientific and medical advice that it is safe to proceed and complementary public health measures, such as Test and Protect, being in place.
The paper (see below) highlights:
growing evidence that the susceptibility to clinical disease of younger children is lower than for adults
generally good evidence that the severity of disease in children is lower than in adults
the majority view of the Chief Medical Officer’s Advisory Group is that actions to support distancing guidance in schools where children are in indoor environments for extended periods of time would be appropriate, while a minority believed schools could operate without distancing
Mr Swinney yesterday updated Parliament on the work to re-open schools and ELC settings.
He told Holyrood: “School closures are considered to have a negative effect on all aspects of children and young people’s progress and development, as well as their wellbeing.
“That is why we are working to enable as many children and young people as possible to return to education and care settings at the earliest date it is safe to do so.
“The scientific evidence and advice is an important part of that decision, alongside consideration of the other harms caused by ongoing restrictions. That is why I have published a summary of the scientific evidence which has informed our discussions and decisions to date.
“The evidence around coronavirus in general, and that relating to children in particular, is continuing to evolve. Some aspects are not yet well understood – the science cannot in many cases provide us with definitive conclusions.
“The scientific advice that we have received so far leads us towards taking a cautious approach and we will continue to monitor the evidence and advice to inform decisions.”
MUMS and dads in Scotland are battling the stress and soaring cost of back-to-school shopping by hunting for loose change down the back of the sofa … and even borrowing from their own children.Continue reading Scottish parents tackle back-to-school stress
