The Covid pandemic has impacted all of our lives in a number of different ways.

For adults, the challenge of living through one of the most difficult episodes in generations has been huge.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show one in six adults in the UK had some form of depression last summer - an increase from one in ten in the months leading up to the pandemic.

But what about the effect on children?

One infant school in Collier Row anticipated the fallout of the pandemic on its children, aged between four and seven.

Crownfield Infants has introduced daily activities such as yoga to improve their pupils' wellbeing.

Gina Saggers, a safeguarding lead at the school, said she was on call more during lockdown than when school was open.

"Lots of teachers were referring parents who were struggling with the children and their behaviour in the home.

"The need for support elevated and when the children returned to school - there was elevated anxiety in the children, more tearful children finding it difficult to adapt to the day-to-day routine."

Romford Recorder: Gina Saggers, a safeguarding lead at Crownfield InfantsGina Saggers, a safeguarding lead at Crownfield Infants (Image: Crownfield Infant School)

The school is bidding to be more preventative than reactive to crises, she added.

Breathing activities are part of the school's drive to promote mindfulness, while pupils have also drawn portraits of themselves to encourage discussion.

Gina said: "The idea is that we ingrain those strategies in the child and it's been really effective.

"The work is required in my age bracket and the age bracket of the early juniors. If lots of work is put in at that time, the kids have the tools they need when adversity strikes them."

Professor Sam Wass, a child psychologist at the University of East London, said research showed the early warning signs of anxiety and depression develop during early to middle childhood.

He felt mindfulness activities help children to understand how they are feeling.

Romford Recorder: Professor Sam WassProfessor Sam Wass (Image: University of East London)

"To us, it can be really obvious that a child in a given situation is feeling a particular emotion but you talk to them afterwards and they really weren't aware that they were feeling it.

"We're not born understanding what our own emotions are - we have to learn what they are and what it feels like when we experience a particular emotion."

Gina, who has worked at Crownfield since 2014, said it was "touching" to see the children doing yoga.

"It's the cutest thing, I love it. That is the simplest way to start to embed those thoughts in children about taking time to be mindful and calm themselves."

What impact has the school's work had?

A reception teacher at Crownfield Infants said the mindfulness activities help the children to be calm and concentrate on their learning.

Kelly Hudson told the Recorder her class focuses on one mindfulness activity a week.

She said this helps children understand the process and use the technique in other aspects of their day.

Romford Recorder: Kelly HudsonKelly Hudson (Image: Crownfield Infant School)

"The children are able to take a couple of minutes each day to focus on themselves and positively move forward with their day.

"It is important for us as educators to give the necessary tools to children so they are able to look after their wellbeing."

Collier Row mum Laura Jones explained how the school had assisted her children to deal with the impact of lockdown.

Laura felt the school worked "very hard" to keep eight-year-old Aidan, who is autistic, involved with his one-to-one teacher and home learning.

The mindfulness activities also benefitted daughter Addison, five, according to her mum.

Romford Recorder: Laura JonesLaura Jones (Image: Laura Jones)

"She will tell me that if she is feeling overwhelmed, she just has to take a deep breath to help herself to calm down; this is what she has been taught in school.

"The mindfulness lessons have also made her confident in relaying her feelings."

Lisa Champion, from Romford, agreed that the activities supported her children Jenson, five, and Harrison, eight, in returning to the school environment after lockdown.

"I am a huge advocate of their emotional and mental wellbeing. For me, this is the bedrock of good and happy learning.

"The projects my children have been involved in have supported this."

Harrison was diagnosed with leukaemia in summer 2019 and Lisa said: "Being isolated from friends and family was so difficult, particularly with the added worry of Harrison’s vulnerable status.

Romford Recorder: Lisa ChampionLisa Champion (Image: Lisa Champion)

"The school was very supportive through this time in trying to tailor work and support to suit our very difficult circumstances."

What signs of anxiety can you spot in children?

Behavioural changes and becoming withdrawn are key indicators of anxiety, according to Professor Wass.

Children who are anxious about Covid may ask a lot of questions about the virus, he said.

"If their mood fluctuates a lot from one day to the next, that is often a sign something which can be tricky you might need to talk about."

Another sign is children not wanting to go into school.

"It is tricky to talk about becoming withdrawn. A lot of kids tend to shut themselves off from their parents."

The expert, who has appeared in Channel 4's The Secret Life Of Four and Five Year Olds, said it is often a child who spots the symptoms in another child.

"All you can really say is keep your eyes peeled and be sensitive. If there is anything you see as a warning sign, talk to them about it."