Crisis Support

Significant world events can indirectly or directly impact families and young people in diverse and challenging ways. At Bangkok Patana we recognise this and want to support our students and parents. In the face of such challenges, it is vital that our students are provided with safe forums and relationships both inside and outside of school to process events. The key to this is offering opportunities for young people to communicate their feelings in ways that are healthy, adaptive and safe. In school our students have diverse access to supportive relationships that include tutors, support tutors, Heads of Year, and our Social and Emotional Counselling team. Outside of school, we encourage parents to provide a safe space for such conversations to occur. This short guide is to help facilitate such discussions.

In your own actions, avoid spreading trauma and disrespecting family and victims by being mindful of your actions on social media.

No two children are the same. Each young person will manage the impact of world events differently.  This will depend upon their personality, life experiences, family life, and age/developmental level. Younger children who have access to information may express feelings overtly, for example clearly signalling sadness, anxiety or distress. It is also possible they may communicate such feelings more indirectly, for example you may notice they need to be closer than normal, looking for you when you are out the room, and getting upset when it is time to separate for bedtime or school. With older children who have ready access to world events, it is much harder to shield them from distressing information and it is vital they have opportunities to process and express their thoughts and feelings. Amidst all of this it is important to acknowledge that even if presenting as engaged in normal life, children are potentially negatively impacted and should be offered space and time to discuss events.

We are all immersed in round-the-clock information. It can be challenging for us to navigate this output; imagine what it is like for our children? These are simple, yet powerful actions that support young people in complex times:

1. Listen: Give space for their words and feelings. Listening is a simple and powerful tool we can use with young people when they are experiencing challenging feelings. In the face of high emotion, it is often tempting to distract and occupy, or give practical advice on how to fix things. This is a natural inclination, and it can help! The reality however, is that being offered the opportunity to express their feelings in a controlled and safe manner is what will make them feel better.
2. Acknowledge:  Clearly communicate that their feelings are valid, understandable and important.
3. Empathise: Shared feelings help with empathy and it is important to be honest with children about how we are feeling, ensuring that our own views and opinions do not dominate as outlined below.  This is about their feelings. The video in the connected link articulates this in a powerful and quite beautiful way.

A very helpful age appropriate guide from childmind.org: Helping Children Cope with Trauma 

Here is resource which repeats the message about limiting continued media exposure to trauma: How to Talk With Kids About Tragedies & Other Traumatic News Events – HealthyChildren.org

Remember: None of us can be perfect. It’s hard being a parent – but these actions can help.

It is challenging as adults to remain calm when faced with stressful global events. When our children experience complex feelings, we do too. Whilst honesty is important, it is useful to manage our own emotional experience, and maintain a level of calm when we are supporting young people. To facilitate this, we need to find a space to process our own feelings and to a degree set them aside when offering support. Be calm and gentle whilst being reassuring and honest; “It is tough now, but it will be okay, we will get through this together’. Above all we need to listen, empathise and show that we are trying our best to understand their thoughts and feelings.

Younger children: It is best where viable to shield younger children from distressing news and conversations you will naturally be having as adults. The reality is that young people may inadvertently access such information or conversation.  Where this occurs, it is useful to be open to questions, giving simple and age-appropriate informative responses about the situation.

Older children: As children get older, they have ready access via the internet to an incredible amount of information on world events. It is therefore vital to clarify the information they have accessed and question sources to instigate a wider discussion.

Provide reassurance: Gentle reassurance will help young people know they are safe and that you are there to protect them. Where viable (and this is complex dependent on personal circumstances) it can be beneficial to provide stories of positive recovery and resilience. Explain safety measures that are being taken and let them know there are people working to help those affected by events.

Whilst simple, individual and family routines can get easily lost amidst busy lives.  Our usual sense of order and structure can be forgotten or break down as we focus on the issue in front of us. If this does occur, it is good to take a moment for reflection on these core structures and reintroduce them as necessary. These basic things feel familiar, signal consistency, and often provide opportunities for connection and positive health both in young people and indeed parents. Key areas to consider include:

1. Family mealtimes
2. Exercise
3. Sleep
4. Study/Work (life balance)
5. Connection with friends and family
6. Nutrition
7. Hygiene
8. Creativity
9. Fun Activities

The simple yet powerful actions listed above will frequently be enough to help young people negotiate complex feelings and life or world events. If there are signs that negative moods or behaviours are persisting, seeking professional support is always a positive step that can help.  The school can provide external options in this instance and equally we are always available to offer support in school, therefore please do reach out to our Heads of Year, Pastoral Leaders, or our Social and Emotional Counselling teams.

To contact the Primary Pastoral Year Leaders, please email primary@patana.ac.th.

To contact Secondary Heads of Year, please email secondary@patana.ac.th.