High School 1/7/22: Building Resilience Post Pandemic

We have come to the end of another busy term. As a school community, we have had the opportunity to reconnect with families through many different events including, a parent seminar with Dr Marshall Ballentine Jones, face-to-face parent interviews, and the Year 11 subject selection evening.  But the highlight was the running of the school musical.

This term has allowed us to start returning to normal life after the pandemic, but unfortunately, the mental health of young people has been significantly impacted. As many families settle back into pre-COVID routines, there seems to be a pervasive sense of optimism about what lies ahead.

Unfortunately, children and teens are not immune to what is now being termed the “psychological pandemic”. Young people are at risk of not achieving the primary demands of developmental tasks such as procuring independence, identity formation, as well as obtaining and maintaining peer relationships. What kids need most in the current environment is support, understanding, empathy and encouragement from caring adults. They live up or down to the expectations we set for them.

If there is a panacea to the adversity caused by the pandemic, then it is the building of resilience. Resilience is the capacity to face, overcome, be strengthened, and transformed by adversity. Never, have parents needed the skills, the knowledge, and the strategies to build resilience in their children as much as they do now.

There are 7 integral and interrelated components that makeup being resilient that can help young people thrive and develop healthy coping strategies. This Special Report explores the “7 C’s of Resilience” and includes suggested strategies on how adult carers can best facilitate them. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.