Ideas on how we can help youth (and ourselves) in this post-election time

Across the country, school social workers are dealing with the aftermath of the 2016 election.  Our students and their families are fearful of what this election means for them, and many of you are sharing big and small examples of how this election has impacted your school climate and made many young people feel unsafe in their own communities.

Colleagues from the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago have partnered with the Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition to share a document offering context and support to youth, families, and school mental health professionals. The document is entitled  “Preliminary Messaging to Raise Awareness about the Significant Impact of the Presidential Election on Youth Health and Well-Being.” Here’s some key excerpts:

Since the presidential election on Tuesday, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has become aware of several reports that children and youth are experiencing significant distress. Youth who have been affected include frequently marginalized youth, such as LGBTQ youth and refugee/immigrant and undocumented children and youth, but may not be limited to these groups…These fears increase a sense of isolation and hopelessness for this group. As a result, college and community counseling centers are being overwhelmed with the volume of calls for support, and schools are reporting instances of hate speech, racist vandalism, and having to cancel classes due to safety concerns.

Please share this document with your colleagues, and let us know in the comments section how things are going for you and for your school communities.  These are very serious times and we need to take care of each other so that we can help our youth face the challenges ahead.