Section 7: How the pandemic affected children’s mental health and wellbeing In the survey, children were asked, ‘What is it like going back to school this year? What is good and not so good about school right now?’ The majority of responses were positive. Positive experiences included feelings of excitement and enthusiasm, particularly at the opportunity to see their friends. Some children expressed anxiety and concerns about readjusting to face-to-face learning and wanted support with transitioning back to school after long periods of remote learning, especially those in NSW and Victoria. 7.4 Social development Some parents/guardians and grandparents were particularly concerned about the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on their children’s social development. Some described the pandemic as potentially impeding their children meeting ‘ageappropriate milestones’. This was especially the case for those with children in transition periods, such as starting primary school, moving to high school, puberty, and finishing school. In roundtables, stakeholders pointed out that older children, in particular, had been impacted by missing milestones, like high school formals and graduation parties. 76 | ‘Mental health shapes my life’: COVID-19 & kids’ wellbeing • 2022 | 77