Social distancing in schools- mental health

[Myfriendanxiety]

Does anyone else feel that they would rather home school their children indefinitely than send them to a school where they have to social distance?

I really worry about the mental health of children if they are forced to sit alone at desks 2m apart from others without any proper play time or interaction. I just can’t see how this type of schooling is going to be beneficial to children and how it will create a positive learning environment.

My DS has another year before he starts school luckily- but if he were starting in September to a school system based on social distancing then I wouldn’t be sending him.

I'll no doubt be called dramatic and told to get a grip, but I really feel if this goes on which it seemingly will, it's stolen childhood.

I agree with this.

My children aren't being properly schooled, or even cared for at the moment. I'm still working full time so they spend most of their day on their iPads with little interaction and it's not healthy at all.

A couple of weeks, fine. A couple of months? No way.

My children will be back as soon as the schools open regardless of what social distancing measures are in place.

I suppose the risk of a child not socially distancing in group of 8 is less than one in a group of 30 and you can still wash hands and sit them apart for some things. I'd like to think our key worker children arent finding the childcare too distressing. They seem ok. They arent socially distancing perfectly, far from it - but moreso than normal school.

Do we know this is likely to happen? Do they even know if children are particularly likely to spread it? I thought there was evidence the other way.

The secondary thing is not as simple as MN thinks. We have small classrooms. We don't have single desks. We have corridors and canteens and school buses and hormones and rebellion.

Exactly! Also fewer sink facilities. I think we have just about the legal requirement and half of those are in another linked block.

Agree my 11 year old is struggling. She’d be over the moon to at least be seeing her mates even if at 2m apart. Presumably this will be the deal inside, outside is less risk and unenforceable even for this age.

As in she needs to go back even if social distancing. Otherwise her entire mental health and so capacity to learn will be destroyed

As in she needs to go back even if social distancing. Otherwise her entire mental health and so capacity to learn will be destroyed

Whereas it could be the opposite for others. No easy answer.

I’d support part time school, so at least if 2 years in at once and on a regular basis it’s reducing the cohort you are mixing with

I imagine it will be very different and very difficult.

It won't be normality but a resemblance of normality.

You've got to think some key worker children are already in school and lots are still out at work. So it will be a case of lowering risk but not no risk at all.

It’s not ideal, but on balance just seeing other kids is better than not seeing them

I agree. I can’t decide which would be worse for them... being stuck at home indefinitely with my poor attempt at home schooling, missing their friends and crucial socialisation time, or being back at school with social distancing measures in place (and potentially teachers in full PPE). They’re 6 and 4 and would be really unnerved I think. Either way it’s pretty crap for them.

We have 1500 kids my mind is boggling at how to get 10 in a class.

I imagine all they can do is make it part time. Nothing else could possibly work !

There is not going to be social distancing within primary schools. Look at what the Dutch are doing and the analysis behind it. Kids are not significant transmitters, either to each other or to adults. The most that will happen is half the school in in the morning, half in the afternoon.

The secondary thing is not as simple as MN thinks. We have small classrooms. We don't have single desks. We have corridors and canteens

Yep-primaries have all those things too. Our classrooms are tiny and we have large tables built for group work. I haven’t seen a single desk in schools (like the ones I’ve seen in photos from Denmark) since about 1986.

It won't be normality but a resemblance of normality.

Currently within my school there's no sense of normality at all, and I can't see that changing if we add more pupils to the mix.

RigaBalsam - just pick the favourites.

I sort of assumed if social distancing was being applied it was going to be a very awkward part time school arrangement.

I don't know how they will cope with a different school environment.

All I know is my youngest is really struggling at home. He's only in Reception and it is definitely more difficult for him than my elder child.

He is a really sociable never boy and such a comedian. Nursery I don't think ever got him but his teacher does. The love he has for her is heart warming. He absolutely adores her. He's not one for sitting down and learning and has always been such an active little boy. Endless amounts of energy. But she has managed to get the best out of him and he has progressed so much in a short time.

I am now worried about his long term mental health because of some of his behavioural changes.

I'm just saying this from a personal perspective . For my child I think school may be the best medicine. But obviously it may not be the same for everyone and other people plus staff have their own concerns

RigaBalsam - just pick the favourites.

I don't think there will be social distancing in schools. Government know that's not possible. I read that children in school account for 2.3% of infections but attainment for children is 6% reduced by this lockdown longer term. They will go on balance that children need to be in school. Might have a phased start with part time for a bit but that won't be long term.

2.3% of infections but attainment for children is

That limited article also showed the reduction on peak ICU bed demand of school closures alone in their model is 14-23%

Social distancing is not possible.

This means that vulnerable (not highly vulnerable) staff are essentially going to be thrown to the wolves.

In my hospital, vulnerable people are only exempt from face to face with covid patients, they do all other face to face work. I'm sure that will be the same in schools. Shielded won't be able to work but vulnerable should be able to as children shouldn't be in school if positive or symptomatic and the testing being rolled out will support getting on top of that.

It's never going to perfect or normal, nothing is but everyone knows schools will go back. It's inevitable.

I think schools should open back up on a non-compulsory basis, so the parents who need to go back to work have the option of sending their children in, but there’ll still be the option of work sent home for those that would prefer to stay home.

Personally, I wouldn’t be happy sending my 14yo back in the near future. I’m asthmatic and I’m caring for my 72yo father with COPD, so it’s too risky. I’m also finding that ds is coping far better with being at home than he ever has with school (ADHD and ASD), and is achieving more as there’s no distractions, so I’m in no rush at all to get back to normal school-wise. I know all kids are different, but mines far less stressed and a far nicer person now he’s not having to socialise as much!

40something how could we have schools open (so staff in schools with small ratios) and also home working stuff available for children at home?