THE BOROUGH council wants to help parents identify signs of anxiety in their children.
It has launched a range of courses to help parents support their children’s emotional and educational needs.
And the adult education programme also aims to help residents develop the skills and confidence to improve their health and wellbeing, as well as their job prospects.
During the pandemic the council has been supporting parents whose children are suffering from anxiety.
It created a two-hour online course to help parents recognise signs of anxiety in their child.
It offers techniques and explains to parents how to respond positively to a child with anxiety.
The course also provides information on where parents can find further help and support.
So far, 52 parents have attended the nine courses and more are planned for September.
Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “A lot of children and young people will be feeling anxious and worried about what is going on and this is a normal response to the situation.
“Home schooling has been a huge change and challenge for both parents and children to deal with and there may even be some apprehension about the idea of returning to school in September.
“We are here to help both parents and young people. As school leadership teams across the borough are working hard to ensure their schools are safe for when our pupils return to their classrooms in September, we are also here to offer help and support to parents with their children’s educational and emotional needs.
“The course to help prepare parents to manage their child’s anxiety has been very well received and will return during the autumn term, along with our key stage 1 and 2 courses for parents who would like help to support their children with their English and maths homework.”
The council’s English and maths courses are proving popular with parents who may have forgotten how to do some of the maths or grammar that is now a requirement of English.
It has been well attended by parents who have grown up abroad, as well as parents who may be interested in returning to employment as teaching assistants.
The courses to help to manage a child’s anxiety are aimed at children with low-level anxiety. Parents whose children are displaying more moderate to high levels of anxiety will be referred to other support within the council via education psychologists and mental health support teams, which also offer parenting courses.
For more information about the courses, help and support available, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk and search adult education.
