Mental health and wellbeing column: trauma-informed music groups for children

As a music teacher who continued teaching throughout the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns, I saw the benefit to children of continuing their music lessons through a time of enormous uncertainty and social isolation. Each week, children would log on to their lesson and enjoy singing and playing together. Sometimes just seeing their friends on screen was enough to give them a boost. For many, the music lesson was the highlight of their online learning week.

The recovery from those lockdowns and all the time spent in a socially isolated class-bubble has been long, difficult and is still ongoing. Children have needed help, particularly with social skills and with building up their resilience to cope with the setbacks that are part of everyday life and learning.