The COVID-19 crisis may have had a significant effect on the mental health and wellbeing of children of all ages. Childminders continue to provide vital support to children and families – and can play a key role in offering positive support, engagement and activities to help children and young people feel safe, secure and as stable as possible during these unsettling times.
We’ve collated weblinks to some useful resources and tools you can access to benefit children’s mental health and wellbeing within your childminding setting:
CAMHS Resources is a great place to start when you’re thinking about mental health and wellbeing – for both you minded children and yourself. CAMHS is able to signpost you to a range of resources designed to help you and young people cope with such stress and uncertainty at this time.
The
Natural Health Award was launched a few years ago for childminders in the Forth Valley area to encourage and recognise the health benefits of getting outside into nature at an early age, and the importance of being active and leading healthier lives.
A new COVID-19 version of the Natural Health Award has been developed by NHS Forth Valley for all childminders and families across Scotland to use and focuses on good health and mental wellbeing in the great outdoors where at all possible.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Woodland Trust has been sharing ideas to help families keep children engaged and entertained while at home, including 'Nature Detectives' which has activities for nature-loving kids.
It's a fantastic way to discover the wildlife that's right on your doorstep too and includes a range of simple, nature-based activities that you can enjoy together at home, in your garden, or in your local wood.
Read more about Nature Detectives from the Woodland Trust
The
Parent Club website is a really useful resource from the Scottish Government and is also worth sharing with the parents and carers that use your childminding service. During COVID-19 they have developed a range of resources and tools to support children and you people’s mental health.
Parent Club has also developed a new content hub on their website (
parentclub.scot/startback) which includes information about the new guidelines, a wide range of Q&As and how to support children.
Children in Scotland has produced a new resource for teachers and practitioners to support children and young people’s understanding of their wellbeing. Their free resource ‘Improving Children and Young People’s Understanding of their Wellbeing’ aims to provide a hub for information on wellbeing, promote easy and open access to practical tools and information and complement other, existing resources and approaches.
Salvesen Mindroom Centre has developed a ‘Back to School’ toolkit to support children and young people with learning difficulties as they transition to school.
The
Mental Health Foundation has a quick guide that aims to outline the scale of the challenge that pupils and schools are facing, whilst providing practical advice and support for parents, teachers and other practitioners supporting pupils as they prepare to return to school in August. The website also contains other useful publications such as
Tips for Parents and Caregivers.
The Scottish Government’s Self-Isolation Support Grant closed on 5 January 2023.
Visit the
Scottish Government's Cost of Living Support to find out about other financial help available, and also visit SCMA’s
Cost of Living Support webpage for additional information.
If a member of your household has symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and a high temperature or does not feel well enough to carry out their normal activities, they should stay at home, and avoid contact with other people until their symptoms have gone, and they no longer feel unwell.
In this situation, provided that you – as the childminder – feel well, your setting can remain open and refer to
NHS Inform and follow the ‘How to reduce the risk of infection’ section.
In addition, you should notify the children’s parents or carers that somebody in their household is currently unwell and advise of the actions they are taking to reduce the risk of transmission, so that they can make an informed choice if they wish their child to stay away or take additional precautions.
Yes, as long as the child has no or only mild symptoms and are well enough to attend. See guidance below from
NHS Inform:
"Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive coronavirus test result should continue to attend as normal."
In line with the guidance from
NHS Inform, children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they're well enough to attend.
Children and young people with mild symptoms who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education and/or childcare setting. Mild symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough. It's not recommended that children and young people are tested for coronavirus unless advised to by a healthcare professional.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please refer to
NHS Inform and follow their advice and guidance.
If you have a high temperature and do not feel well enough to work or carry out normal activities, you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people – and this would mean closing your setting until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) and you are feeling better.
You can also contact your local
Health Protection Team for advice.