By Katharine Jones | Hadleigh Castle Rotary
Support and Hope
The New Normal
During the Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown many children were trapped in environments which intensified emotional and mental health issues, suffering bereavement, worry about relatives and fear of the future. Now schools have re-opened pupils have returned to a new normal. Early research suggests that for most young people mental health has worsened since returning to school, and as predicted mental health services have experienced a sharp increase in referrals since September, jumping from 20 to 52 per week.
Directly responding to feedback, Kids Inspire designed a support model where service users are offered bespoke face-to-face and/or remote support. Remote support through telephone or video links is particularly important as venues across Essex are closed or not admitting visitors. Service operating hours have also been extended to offer more evening sessions.
Case Studies
Susie is nine years old. She was having regular panic attacks, was refusing to eat as she feared that the food had germs and had an extreme fear of death and dying. The therapist has helped Susie to learn how to manage her anxious thoughts and is once again a happy care-free child.
Six year old Ben was referred to Kids Inspire with anxiety exacerbated by Covid-19, he also sometimes became aggressive towards his parents. Although the initial referral was for the child, the parents became the focus of the work and they were supported as they put new structures and boundaries in place, which resulted in improved behaviour in Ben.
Lilly, age 15, lost both grandmothers within 6 months of each other to Covid-19. Unable to process her grief she had constant pain and was unable to eat. All medical causes were ruled out and she saw a trauma therapist at Kids Inspire. After just the first session the symptoms lessened and she is now enjoying her recent return to school.
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