THE SELSEY ACADEMY FIRE – Moving forward.
The 21st August 2016 was a sad day for Selsey. The Selsey Academy fire will go down in the history of the town.
It will be remembered in a similar way to the tornado that ripped through roofs in January 1998. After the tornado the stoical folks of Selsey pulled together. Yesterday, some 18 years later, the ‘Selsey Spirit’ rose again. Social media helped mobilise the ‘troops’ who organised themselves efficiently to supply food and drink to the firefighters. The smoke has cleared. The reality has begun to bite. Selsey has lost a focal point of the community.
Similar to Bereavement
The feelings that arise are similar to those of bereavement. Nobody has died yet a sense of loss hangs in the air.
There is initial shock. Statements are heard like ‘This can’t be true’, (Denial). Quite quickly awareness widens to acknowledgement. The Academy was destroyed by fire. It will leave a gap in the community. As the reality sets in, some people will express anger. Already and without concrete evidence there have been claims that the fire must have been started by an arson attack. When people feel helpless, the blame game is played. To play the blame game a ‘scapegoat’ is needed. You will hear questions like – Were the firefighters quick enough? and Were there sprinklers fitted in the building?
Each of these comments are normal when individuals feel powerless. The objective of the blame game is to feel less powerless. Try not to buy into it. It divides us and delays the process of moving forward. After this comes a sense of sadness for what was lost. Finally, acceptance will be reached and we will be able to move forward as a community.
The town is going through a process of disbelief, anger, blaming and sadness. All of this is normal and takes time until we reach acceptance
Possible effects on pupils
For students the process is more difficult. They need to adapt to the loss of their school. There is likely to be a period of anxiety about the future and about where they will go to school. They will also worry about their friendships.
Parents may notice a quietness in their children or an increase in teenage moodiness. They need time to adjust. This is big news to them. Their cognitive systems need time to process this knowledge. Children who have experienced a change in family situation in the last 12 months may feel the uncertainty more. Take time to listen to your child’s concerns and respond with the actual knowledge you have.
At present the precise arrangements for the children’s schooling is not clear, it can’t be as yet. It’s crucial that the children are supported at this time.
Parents can help by reassuring their child that clear plans are being made for their education. It may take a while to fine tune the details but what is certain is that a practical solution is being developed.
It is an unpleasant situation but if handled sensitively, your child will have developed important coping strategies and an ability to manage unexpected change. This lesson will be as important as any formal teaching of emotional intelligence.
Witten by Christine Tizzard Psychology