A MEDIATION group have written to East Ayrshire Council amid concerns over the strains that COVID-19 is putting on school pupils, which can lead to fights.

Scottish Mediation have fears over how children are “coping emotionally” after they returned to classrooms post lockdown last month.

Increased support is being offered to schools in East Ayrshire to helps staff and pupils through the emotional stresses of being back at school.

Volunteer mediators have been helping people across the country deal with conflict connected to self-isolation and social distancing.

Now they are keen to help out schools after hearing evidence from parents and education professionals nationally.

Graham Boyack, Director of Scottish Mediation, said: “We are hearing genuine concerns for some children about how they are coping emotionally with the return to school and what the impact of the events of the last few months have had on their mental health and wellbeing.

“Some of them may have suffered personal losses or had family difficulties as a result of the pandemic, others may be anxious about the risks of falling ill or are finding it a challenge to cope socially being back among their peers.

“In every school everyone is getting used to working within changes and adaptations in place to reduce the dangers presented by COVID-19, which has the potential to spill into conflict. Social distancing is not a natural state of mind for youngsters and many find themselves frustrated. We can support people with how to manage this.”

We have told how there were two separate fights at Cumnock Academy since school pupils returned from lockdown.

Earlier this month, a 12-year-old boy was taken to hospital after an assault outside the school.