Bonus episode: Children’s mental health during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

How might children’s social and emotional wellbeing be affected by the changes brought about in response to the COVID-19 pandemic? In this bonus episode, Brad Morgan, Director of Emerging Minds, discusses some challenges that might be coming up for families at this time as they navigate spending more time at home together. Tune in to this discussion to hear about what infants, toddlers, and children are needing from their parents right now and some suggestions on how parents can have child-centred conversations about coronavirus that are supportive of their mental health as well as what’s important to consider in relation to maintaining routines during home isolation. 

In this episode you will learn:

• Why talking to children about the coronavirus pandemic is important (03:49)
• What support babies and toddlers are needing (10:16)
• What to consider in terms of the way parents’ mental health may be impacting on the wellbeing of their children (18:08)
• What to consider in maintaining routines under isolation (22:00)
• How news and media might be impacting children (23:14)

Further information and resources:

• Video: Talking to children about natural disasters, traumatic events, or worries about the future
• Factsheet: Communicating with your child about COVID-19
• Factsheet: Helping children cope with stress during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
• Factsheet: Traumatic events, the media and your child
• Guide and tools: Coronavirus (COVID-19): family guide – raisingchildren.net.au 
• Factsheet: How to talk to your children about coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Website: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – healthdirect.gov.au
• Podcast: The power of play