Developing resources to help children with COVID related anxiety
Click here to download the Tortu story and notes for free.
There is so much concern about the impact on children's mental health from Covid-19 and the restrictions and changes related to it, and we felt that we should help.
Our Clinical Trustee Toria has worked online with a primary school teacher and an artist to create an easy to use toolkit anyone can use to help children suffering from anxiety or stress. It focuses on a simple story: 'Tortu the Very Anxious Tortoise', for 5 to 10 year olds, with notes for teachers, E/LSAs and mental health professionals, and parents.
Tortu, a small lively tortoise, has gone back to school. Some of his friends are joining the class on laptops from home, and everything seems so different. He is very anxious. His teacher Miss Shell explains what anxiety is, and teaches the small tortoises some simple ways to manage their anxious feelings, and boost their resilience. The 'tools' she teaches can be combined with other commonly-used techniques for managing strong emotions.
The teaching notes and notes for parents include a simple script for the anxiety -management techniques, which children learn alongside the tortoises, and suggestions for discussion points and follow-up activities.
The story has had a warm reception with some enthusiastic reviews from education and mental health experts in the UK. Senior Child Psychiatrist Dr Hamilton McBrien says:
"This is a delightful story in a very accessible format that addresses anxiety in a way that can be easily understood by young children. It is an invaluable aid to educators and parents to support children cope with their anxiety especially as it relates to Covid but also more generally”.
The Head of the Spotlight Literacy Unit for Kingswood Primary School in Lambeth, London describes the story as "funny and charming, beautifully illustrated. Very apt for what is going on at the moment and general anxiety"
Click here to download the story and notes for free.