‘Create school safe zones’

CREATING safe spaces for students in schools can be a way for a child to recover from a traumatic experience — especially those facing difficulties at home, says University of the South Pacific psychology professor Dr Annie Crookes.

She said the safe spaces could offer an avenue for the child to be aware of their emotions.

“What schools can do is start to try and foster this kind of positive wellbeing environment,” she said.

“There is a lot of research that says the number one factor that helps at risk children is really having awareness and promotion of wellbeing from day one in schools.

“So having a positive school culture, and that means having places where children learn to go and take themselves away to think about their emotions.

“Teaching them how to sort of regulate their emotions or even just teaching them that emotions go up and down.

“Sometimes they will be angry and sad and other days they will be happy and that’s normal.”

She said schoolchildren in Fiji had a few specific social issues that affected a child’s wellbeing and emotional development.

“They’ve seen their homes flooded or taken away and we know there are issues of community structure changing as well.

“They are moving out of the villages and moving to the cities, so they are losing that traditional support system and structure.

“There are some very specific issues as well such as global issues of child anxiety, depression and substance abuse.”