Combating coronavirus: Dubai schools offer counselling sessions to parents, kids

Counsellors are also offering guidance to parents on managing anxiety and stress related to job losses and pay cuts.

Schools across Dubai are offering virtual counselling sessions for students and parents to ensure their mental well-being amid the Covid-19 situation. Some sessions aim at helping parents facing pay cuts and job losses, while others help guardians keep their kids engaged as they e-learn from home.
Helping parents cope amid pay cuts
Counsellors are offering guidance to parents on managing anxiety and stress related to job losses and pay cuts.
Sangita Chima, principal at Amity School Dubai, said: "We are holding live webinars from 11.30 to 1pm with parents to understand their concerns pertaining to salary cuts or layoffs or any other matter.
"We intervene actively when we observe an adverse change in people's behaviours."
Helping kids e-learn
Meanwhile, starting this Tuesday, the Dubai British School - Jumeirah Park will host weekly video calls for parents to discuss things ranging from mental wellbeing to issues with children's home classes. The school aims to mitigate parents' anxieties related to e-learning.
Melissa Skiles, head of Inclusion of the school, said: "One of my colleagues would hold weekly support sessions on mental health and wellbeing, whereas my focus will be on managing and supporting learning and behaviours at home."
Recognising the current climate and the change in learning environment, Brendon Fulton, executive principal, Dubai British Schools, said, "The idea is to keep children motivated. Some children are feeling down as they miss their friends and teachers as well as the daily interactions and activities. The efforts are aimed at keeping everyone positive, happy and enthusiastic about the future."
Emotional resilience
Sara Hedger, head of Child Safeguarding and Child Protection at Gems Education, said: "We are working with The Lighthouse Arabia Center for Wellbeing to provide webinars to staff and parents focusing on developing emotional resilience in uncertain times. Many of our schools in the coming days will also see virtual iftars during Ramadan to involve parents in the social aspects of the school community and to enhance connectivity and friendships."
She said school counsellors do "regular welfare checks" of students. "We are offering advice for issues like staying safe online, screen-time guidance, setting routines and more."
nandini@khaleejtimes.com