Schools across the UK will start to return to the classroom over the coming weeks. With that in mind we have included a number of resources to help children, parents and teachers manage this transition back.

For Parents

Helping your child with the return to school - from Shelley Mason (our education mentor and adoptive Mum of two) 

• Make a collage, drawing your family in the middle and pictures and words about the new school year surrounding. Include names of teachers, teaching assistants and friends and favourite subjects. Using a white crayon/ pencil finish with your invisible string to represent your love that they carry to school. (Younger children)
• Make a feelings tree, large enough to writing feelings/ worries on each leaf. Leave this up in a prominent place to encourage them to talk about their worries. (Older children)
• Park outside the school (at least once a week) and just sit for a while and talk about school
• Try and meet up with school friends
• Watch any school video links, even if they are slightly out of date. They will get subtle reassuring clues from seeing the environment and people.
• List school dates on a calendar and have a count down. 
• Plan some fun weekend activities for the first few weeks back and write them on the calendar. 
• Get into a school nights routine before you need it
• Make an evening routines checklist 'Ready for School' this will help him feel in control. 
• Hang their school uniform out
• ​If you have a timetable, put it up somewhere visible so that it’s a talking point 
• Practise packing their school bag

With all of these, be prepared for things to be thrown away, removed, not engaged with - just try again a few days/ week later. 

This may seem like lots to do but the more you talk, the more they can accept the change that’s coming and it will reinforce that you are there for them. They will feel listened to and hopefully more in control of the unknown weeks ahead. 

Blogs

• One Mum writes a letter to her daughter’s school highlighting her lockdown wins as well as the additional support she will need on a return to the classroom.
• 5 Things to discuss with your child’s school ahead of transition.

Resources

• Our Education Policy Advisor, Rebecca Brooks, has created this Back to School form for parents to complete and pass on to their children's nursery or school teacher:
• Our friends at Big Life Journal have compiled this brilliant Back to School care package – tips, ideas and tools for parents and children returning to school, homeschool or anything in between.
• There’s a host of back to school transitions resources on Twinkl, including these social stories cards 
• Webinar with adopted Mum, Sarah Fisher, on Supporting your children on their return to school

For Teachers

Webinars

• Transition back to school for care experienced children, hosted by our Education Policy Advisor, Rebecca Brooks
• Slides to accompany our transition webinar

Blogs

• The myth of catching up after covid
• New School Year New Start
• We respond to the Government’s Back to school plans.

Return to school form

Ahead of school returning – you may want to send our return to school form out to the parents of the children you teach