SUPPORTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AS THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL

BY CATHERINE O’FARRELL

As educators across the region have recently returned to school, it is expected that a lot of planning and contingency went into their return. Continuous planning is key for high needs students of determination and indeed all students and teachers alike. The student should be at the centre of everything we do.

Promote wellbeing Because of the isolated existence we have all been getting accustomed to over the past few months, students and teachers may be feeling a sense of loss. Many families have been impacted by illness, migration and even death during the past months. Ensure that the school’s designated safeguarding lead is both prepared and available to help support the communities returning to campus. Share contact details and access to related support groups, webinars and upcoming events.

Open Dialogue Continue the dialogue around Health and Safety and the impact of masks, hand sanitizing and social distancing for our students of determination. How can we ensure that students with sensory needs are protected if they can’t wear a mask, is there an alternative available like the face shield? What about students with communication challenges who rely on lip reading or facial expression to understand the world around them. Can their teachers wear a clear mask or face shield, instead of a cloth mask, so that students can see their faces? By engaging parents and students in these discussions continuously, multiple plans can be in place to avoid distress for vulnerable students.

“Plan your work and work your plan” – Napolean Hill Review your Inclusion register to ensure all students are catered for. Update your Inclusion and Safeguarding policies to account for any changes in procedure or practice and share it with the school community. Survey your staff and appraise, where they most need support and revisit safeguarding training. Review third party agreements in line with new practices. Be mindful to account for the protection and support of individual learning support assistants. Ensure that there are clear guidelines for those who work in close physical proximity with their students of determination or those who handle their students regularly.

Get Active Many of us have been sedentary for many months and returning to school could pose a physical challenge. Encourage your students of determination to get active in the weeks before they return to school to prepare their bodies for the busy school days that lay ahead. Look to the regulators ADEK have collaborated with parents, teachers and relevant authorities to issue comprehensive guidelines to support schools as they return. KHDA update their sites regularly, keeping track of current events and responding and preparing accordingly. Always look to trusted sources of information for guidelines on procedures and avoid fake news. If in doubt – find out!

Keep an eye on the media Be mindful of the messages that students and families are being exposed to. All too often, there are explosive and terrifying headlines like

“Middle East faces scary rise in COVID” The National

“Coronavirus is a human crisis beyond most of our scariest dreams” – The Guardian UK.

These could have an extremely negative effect of students, families and teachers’ perceptions around their return to school.

And finally Reach Out! The inclusion community in the UAE is hugely supportive. Reach out to your community schools and centres. Make connections and share good practice. Ask questions and offer support where possible.

We are all in this together and together we can make it happen

References:

https://educationblog.oup.com/ secondary/mfl/rebecca-nobes-returnto-school

Catherine O’Farrell (PGCBA, BSc-Psych, B-Ed) is an experienced psychologist & consultant. She has worked in educational and medical institutions across Ireland, the UK, Australia and the UAE for over 15 years. She is Director of Phase 2 for the Dubai Inclusion Network.