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NEW STUDY: 7 in 10 UAE parents worry schools failing in mental health support for children
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NEW STUDY: 7 in 10 UAE parents worry schools failing in mental health support for children

by Tabitha BardaMarch 8, 2022

Mental health support is one of the key factors UAE parents consider when picking a school for their teenager, according to findings from a recent Censuswide survey. The survey, commissioned by leading British Curriculum school, the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai, discovered that more than 70% of parents are worried about the mental health support that their child is currently receiving at school and 50.4% of parents want to see mental health on a school’s curriculum as standard.

With the traditional school life and young people’s learning disrupted for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is no surprise that the survey also discovered that 71.6% of parents questioned believe that their child’s mental health has suffered as a result of the pandemic, and 71.6% of parents believe that home-schooling has had a negative impact on their own mental health.

Clare Turnbull, Principal at the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai commented:

“It is hugely important for us to constantly reach out to our network and community of parents to really understand what they are looking for in a school so we can offer the best possible support.”

“It is no surprise that parents are now looking to schools for mental health support for their children after the pandemic has caused disruption in their learning and social development.”

“Our pupil’s mental health and wellness is our top priority at RGSGD and mental health awareness is an integral part of the school’s DNA. It is taught in the PSHE curriculum, embodied in the school’s values and our modern and flexible learning environment has nature at its heart to reinforce pupil wellbeing. “We are doing everything we can to close the gap in the issues that have been created due to the pandemic.”

Creating a positive narrative and encouraging an open and honest conversation in school around mental health is a top priority, say the RGSGD team, and pupils are taught strategies to help them understand and process their feelings.  The school says it continues to develop emotional regulation for all pupils, especially for those who are struggling to manage and interact in social situations which they might have missed out on experiencing and dealing with due to the pandemic.

Read more about the values of The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai here.

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Read more about the importance of mental health and pastoral care, shared with RGSGD, in the founding UK school here.

© SchoolsCompared.com. 2022. All rights reserved.

 

About The Author
Tabitha Barda
Tabitha Barda is the Senior Editor of SchoolsCompared.com. Oxbridge educated and an award winning journalist in the UAE for more than a decade, Tabitha is one of the region's shining lights in all that is education in the emirates. A mum herself, she is passionate about helping parents - and finding the stories in education that deserve telling. She is responsible for the busy 24x7 News Desk, our Advisory Boards and Specialist Panels - and Parents United's WHICHPlaydates - a regular meeting place for UAE parents to discuss the issues that matter to them, make friends and network with others. You can often find Tabitha too on Parents United - our Facebook community board, discussing the latest schools and education issues with our parent community in the UAE - and beyond.

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