Section 7: How the pandemic affected children’s mental health and wellbeing (i) Difficulties getting support from teachers (ii) Need for more parental support Children indicated that they required immediate support and access to their teachers when learning remotely. Children said they needed more parental support for remote learning, but this was difficult as parents were facing work and other pressures in the home. s g iving u t p e k r he My teac k that was or d maths w e what we ha k li as nothing ER! It w V E s s la c nd done in to pic, a w e n a t gave no not jus e h s l, l to fa worst o n in writing as not tio explana re was e h T . it do i deo how to k to a v were n li a n eve we g what in in la p x e SW do ing. 12–13, N ged —Girl, a o to d d rt gle rug suppo n d t s e I t me an d ge e d to s om, o h At work scar in a zo g n i e th to be d ask t jo in o due mail an hen n t T an e would ear. , AC –15 f 4 I 1 om so ged s fr rl, a s i a G l c — y ivate d to do m ot m e or m y a st I I fo un d that work at school. is very much a home schooling e Teachers w ill b waste of time. to finally taking so long g in issues. Class lo t oo sh le b ou tr It just for 10mins. work co uld be . itive experience os p a r ve ne s wa binary or entifies as non—Child who id 5, NSW other, aged 14–1 66 | I nee de d in perso to talk to a te ac n my brot when my pare her nts or her co u ld not d when I o it nee de d h work. elp w ith my —Girl, a ged 9–1 1, VIC I needed one-on-one chats with teachers and feedback for schoolwork, but this was not possible. —Girl, aged 14–15, VIC , aged —Boy g my was do in n d I n e h W sa rk task ho mewo k, I aske d uc I got st or help, but f my mu m elping my h s she wa . brother VIC 1 It’s like my parents do not remember how to do the working out. —Girl, aged 9–11, QLD — ged —Girl, a So metim es yo ur website wo uldn’t s work, y o ur tea wo uldn’t c her answer yo ur questio ns on e mail str away, a aig n d ther e were ht many z to o o o ms to go to. ged 9–1 1, VIC 1, ged 9–1 —Boy, a g gettin n i t r uppo ol tasks, de d s e e n s scho I h my sibling it d w n a p hel nts ning y pare rking/lear m t u b wo busy were 1, VIC ho me. d 9–1 e g fro m a , l Gir ause o ol bec m h c s r e f fro I pre for help k s a n a Ic en I her wh c a e t y m f on stea d o in it d ms. nee hat ro o c d n a emails SW 9–11, N —Girl, a um my M e s e m i h So met ow what s e h kn di dn’t ching me. T a o e was t ork ma de n lw scho o . to her VIC sense 4–15, Some, especially younger children, also felt that their parents did not know how to help them with their schoolwork. Parents also raised concerns about the added pressure of having to support their children in home-schooling, and how this affected their relationship with them. support I nee de d more n d staying w ith learning a running on task an d not ting in aroun d an d get fights. 11, SA —Boy, aged 9– Becau se onl in gra de s wen e my t dow I was na g ba d a etting real n d t thin ly gs maths an d o like th like th at. It er things got re hard wh a but m en I nee d lly y h meeti mu m was o elp ng. na —Girl , aged 9–11, VIC ship w ith my Having my relation ver as I child change d fore r mother but became not only he also, this her ho meschooler essure on us placed significant pr quality of our an d impacted the the time). As time together (at only child my 9 year old is an her as she this also impacted gs to lean on, ha d no other siblin cus an d we she was our sole fo were hers. r, VIC —Mothe The t ea at the chers are go o d ir job , mu m is not but my a teac her. —Boy , aged 9–11, SA ‘Mental health shapes COVID-19 kids’wellbeing wellbeing •• 2022 2022 | 67 ‘Mental health shapes my my life’:life’: COVID-19 && kids’