Some nurseries and pre-schools are using circle time to deal with children's worries that farm animals are being burnt alive and fears that their domestic pets will be affected. One teacher reported children drawing pictures of trenches being dug - but at least one child was excited about the mechanical diggers.
In Dumfries and Galloway, which has 135 reported cases, the local authority has counsellors available to help children traumatised by the outbreak. Education department administrative officer Nancy Ellis said, 'The education department has sent letters out to all schools saying that we can arrange counselling sessions for children. We have made it clear that the counselling is here but we do depend on the 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.' Lewtrenchard Pre-school Group, based in a Devon farming community, has now re-opened after two weeks' closure, but loss of money could force it to reduce the number of sessions it provides. Pre-school chair Nikki Walker said, 'It's not back to normal. We hope to receive some of the extra funding available as our numbers have been affected and we are just existing while attendance is low. We are relying on our saved funds at the moment and have had to cancel a jumble sale and a sponsored toddle because of foot and mouth.'
Glasgow-based child behaviour specialist Elizabeth Quinn said isolation could be making things worse for the children. She said, 'Some nurseries and schools have been closed and this may well have added to the difficulties of the children. When they do not have access to the sense of companionship with their peers they may feel isolated as they lose the fun and diversions of school. This places a huge demand on adults as they try to support the children. Seeking ways for them to have contact with other children and to talk and share grief and sadness will be necessary.'