Nursery World - Children's trauma counsellors put on alert in foot and mouth areas

Counsellors have been made available on standby in Dumfries and Galloway, the part of Scotland which has been most severely affected by foot and mouth disease, to help children traumatised by the outbreak. As Nursery World went to press, there were 1,134 confirmed cases of foot and mouth in Britain, of which 135 were in Dumfries and Galloway. Education department administrative officer Nancy Ellis said, 'The education department has sent letters out to all schools saying we can arrange counselling sessions for children if necessary.

As Nursery World went to press, there were 1,134 confirmed cases of foot and mouth in Britain, of which 135 were in Dumfries and Galloway. Education department administrative officer Nancy Ellis said, 'The education department has sent letters out to all schools saying we can arrange counselling sessions for children if necessary.

'We have said that the counselling is here but we depend on headteachers sensitively approaching affected families. We expect the foot and mouth outbreak to have long-term consequences and it will probably be after all the animal stock has gone and money is not coming in to the family that children may require counselling. Schools are ensuring that children do not see anything upsetting while they are at school and the authority is anxious that they continue to attend school.'

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