LibGuides: UCDSB Mental Health & Wellness Virtual Library: COVID-19 Resources for Families & Caregivers

COVID-19 Resources

Supporting the young people in your life during COVID-19
"How are the young people in your life doing during the COVID-19 pandemic? With stress, fear and anxiety increasing across Canada and the world, it’s natural for you and the young people around you to have questions/concerns about the novel coronavirus and its impacts. Here, Kids Help Phone shares some tips for supporting the young people in your life during this unprecedented time."
Talking to Your Anxious Child About COVID-19
"Children and youth who have an anxiety disorder may find the information about COVID-19 in the news and around them especially worrisome. It would be most beneficial for them if information is presented in a calm, structured and realistic manner. With that in mind, for many children the most reassuring way to manage this information is in conversation and relationship with parent(s)/caregiver(s)."
Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Tips, coping strategies and resources to manage your mental health during the pandemic from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

How to help youth tackle the blues during COVID-19 and #physicaldistancing
"With the restrictions around activities that previously might have helped them feel better— such as leaving home to go to school, social gatherings, and extracurriculars—youth may find themselves stuck in these negative cycles and needing some support to find their way out. Here are some suggestions for parents to support youth."
Refrigerator Tip Sheet for Taking Care of Your Mental Health
From the Government of Canada
Tips on Reading the News During COVID-19
From the Mental Health Commission of Canada

For Parents & Children

COVID-19 Info Hub (Hospital for Sick Children)
An information hub that includes resources on COVID-19 and how to help you cope and support your child's mental health and general wellbeing through physical activity, sleep, nutrition and learning. Also included are videos and audio meditations to help you cope with stressful thoughts and experiences that occur throughout your day.
12 easy and fun mental health practices to try with your children at home
Activities and resources for children from School Mental Health Ontario!
How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus
De-stressing tips with links to videos and activities for you and your children.

For Adults/Young Adults

Take 5: Mindfulness Practice by MindWell
"Take 5 is the core mindfulness practice taught in the online MindWell Challenge.... and is proven to increase focus and attention while reducing stress and increasing performance and resilience. The training is only five to 10 minutes a day and can be done from anywhere on any device." Website contains 5 tools infographic and short podcast.
Stress Strategies: A Problem-Solving Approach to Stress Management
Stress Strategies looks at stress as a problem that can be addressed solved, or at least improved, using practical problem-solving methods. Stress Strategies:
- provides a variety of research-backed stress management strategies
- shares real life stories of how people use these specific strategies to manage their stress more effectively
- guides you through a few questions to help you make use of these various strategies
When finished, you’ll be able to download or print your own personalized stress management plan.