In National Child Protection Week, psychologist Sandra Reynolds discusses the changing face of ‘neighbourhood’ during COVID-19 and how to support your child’s wellbeing at this time.

This year’s National Child Protection Week (5-11 September) theme is: Every child, in every community, needs a fair go.

And, according to event organiser the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), to treat all of Australia’s children fairly, we need to make sure that every neighbourhood has what kids need to thrive and be healthy.

But has the COVID-19 lockdown reshaped how families and children think about neighbourhoods and our feelings of connectedness?

The answer is a clear and resounding yes.

‘AS HUMANS, WE CRAVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS’

“School is such an important part of a child’s life and it provides access not only to education but so many other areas of social and emotional development,” says Sydney Catholic Schools’ Supervisor: Child Safety, Sandra Reynolds.

“Friendships with peers and positive relationships with teachers influence the experiences of students during the course of their education.

“As humans, we crave social interaction and the need to be connected is hardwired in our DNA.

Sydney Catholic Schools’ psychologist, Sandra Reynolds. Photo: Kitty Beale

“Changing our routine and mode of operation to remote learning requires a level of retraining of our brains to derive the same level of connectedness in a physically non-connected world.”

SO, WHAT MAKES A ‘HEALTHY’ NEIGHBOURHOOD?

“Connectedness is one element of a healthy neighbourhood; other necessary elements include safe places to play and explore in, a balance of nature and accessible services,” explains Ms Reynolds.

“If we consider that for the majority of time during lockdown, we are being asked to make our …