WELLINGTON COUNTY – As another school year approaches, local boards and community organizations are ensuring mental health supports are in full swing to ease the transition period for students returning to school.
Krista Sibbilin, director of children’s services at the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHAWW), said concerns facing students returning to school this fall will likely be similar to those seen last year, but with a greater sense of normalcy.
“If you look at last year’s school year it was up and down as well,” she said. “But the last couple months were pretty consistent for them. If you think April, May and June, they were able to remain in school … there was a general sense of being back in school.”
Sibbilin noted returning to school and being back in the classroom is a transition that may have some students feeling anxious.
“With regards to entering school and the uncertainty still of COVID, I think there’s still anxiety for kids being in a classroom with other kids,” she said.
Questions around school closures and moving online may also be concerns for families, Sibbilin explained.
“I think anxiety will still be there (over) the uncertainty,” she said.
“But I also think that there’s some reassurance that there has been a bit of normalization over the last couple of months as they enter into school.
“I think we will still see some impacts,” Sibbilin said of the pandemic.
“We’ve seen an influx of COVID over the summer months and I think there will still be some concern for families and kids entering into school.”
Some stress triggers Sibbilin anticipates will involve what school is going to look like now that pandemic mandates like mask wearing have been dropped by the province.
She noted it is important for families to engage in activities that involve being with other children – going to the park, getting outside, etc. – to start practicing socialization skills.
As for preparing students for re-entering school, Sibbilin suggests developing morning and bedtime routines to help the transition, as well as keeping communication lines open.
“We see transitions increase anxiety and as we see that I would really encourage parents just to validate their children’s feelings,” she explained.
“I don’t think we need to problem solve for them. But I would encourage them to have some conversation with their kids.”
Sibbilin noted there are likely many people feeling anxious and afraid to return to school.
“They’re not alone,” she said. “There’s lots of children and families that will be experiencing the same feelings.”
Sibbilin said CMHAWW is continuing to see an increase in referrals for children and youth.
“With the last two years that really has increased anxiety and stress levels for children, youth and families,” she noted.
“I think there’ll be a couple of years we’ll continue to see the impacts of the pandemic on children, youth and family, for sure.”
Sony Brar, mental health lead and manager of student mental health services at the Wellington Catholic District School Board, said the board saw an increase in the demand for mental health support last year.
“There was an increase of needs, for sure,” she said. “We were seeing it at all different levels.
“Some of our kiddos that were generally coping well were showing some indication that they needed additional help with coping,” she explained. “Some of our kiddos that maybe had some existing concerns, they were a little bit more in need of individual support.”
However, nearing the end of the school year, staff noticed the need seemed to settle a bit, Brar explained.
“So I think that was pretty promising going into the summer, that we’re kind of heading into a place of where we’re seeing a shift,” she said.
Brar said she’s anticipating a period of adjustment for students as they head back to school in September.
“But I also am hopeful that once we get past the transition, even though there might be some emerging concerns, that generally we’re seeing a little bit of settlement in our kiddos,” she said.
Brar said it’s hard to predict what concerns will arise for students.
The mental health lead noted she’s not hearing the same worries around COVID-19 as she did the past two years, though she stressed the board will continue to support families who still have those concerns.
“That was quite the focus in previous years,” she explained.
“That’s not to say it won’t be … but it’s not as big of a focus as what we heard from parents in previous years. It’s not that it’s not there, it’s just lower on the list it sounds like.
“I really do think the only thing we can really be prepared for is that general transition back.”
The board has also been working on its mental health strategy.
“Our hope is really that with consistent access to evidence-based mental health information and support for our students, our students will care for their mental health, engage in service to others, and feel a sense of belonging, identity, faith and hope as lifelong learners,” she said.
“So everything that we do we want to anchor it in this vision.”
All staff are being prepared with information about supporting student mental health care ahead of the start of school, Brar noted, which will include being able to identify the differences between mental health and mental illness, how they can support and promote mental health in the classroom and how to identify signs of requiring early intervention.
“Then if there are some kiddos whose … needs might be bigger than what just in-class support can offer, and their needs are emerging, then we’re to access those supports in the school and the board and in the community,” she explained.
“The last few years were tough,” Brar acknowledged. “They weren’t easy by any means, but I think that we implemented the right support.
“And we’re already seeing that downward shift that we’re headed to a place of [settlement],” she added. “We’re getting there … we’re seeing some stability, for sure.”
Upper Grand District School Board mental health and addiction lead Jenny Marino also confirmed there’s been a noticeable increase in needs over the past two years.
Stressors, Marino explained, are dependent on several different factors and will be unique to each student’s experiences, resources, identities and family connections.
“Upper Grand is really focused on prioritizing a mentally healthy return to school, with a focus on welcoming, belonging and connection,” she said.
This means making sure everyone comes into a safe space where they can learn, engage and build relationships, she explained.
“That is our priority this year and it has been our priority last year as well to meet those needs as they arise,” Marino added.
To see this through, the board has added funding, physicians, staff training, child youth counsellors, social workers, psychologists and a variety of specialized teams to support students entering school.
“We’re one place for these students, we’re an important place and we are committed to making sure that they have that return,” Marino said.
“There’s all kinds of different ways that support is happening,” she explained.
“But it is happening in advance of the start of school for our high-needs high-risk students’ transition.”
The board has several supports in place, including implementing School Mental Health Ontario’s First 10 days (and Beyond) document that focuses on creating connections and supporting school mental health and well-being during the return to school.
“That will be happening every day for 10 days so that everybody is doing a collective focus on that student mental health, well-being, and that return to school welcoming, acknowledging different identities and different experiences,” Marino explained.
The board will also continue its wellness work, which includes activities for students in kindergarten to Grade 12, focusing on supporting students and their well-being.
“In September, our focus for wellness works is the welcome, belonging and identity so that we’re really making sure … everybody might need to be welcomed in different ways,” Marino explained.
“So really making sure we’re also looking at students as individuals as they go through this, and we’re getting to know our students, and we know what their experiences are,” she added.
“And they see themselves in their classrooms, in their spaces, their stories, their cultures. All of that needs to be a part of the spaces that they’re in.”
There are also online resources available to students through their school portals, which Marino said acts as a “one-stop shop” for mental health supports and resources.
“I think everybody’s just so hopeful for an uninterrupted year and I’m happy that our kiddos can start in this way this year. It’s really important,” Marino said of the return.
“I think we’re all kind of settling into a little bit more normal, but I think we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that … there have got to be anxieties in adults and children and all of us around the unknown.”
