Swindon’s representative for the National Education Union has said that children going back to school and taking part in social distancing could hurt their mental health.

Debbie Brown spoke to the Adver about the impact a June 1 return to school could have on Swindon’s children.

Here’s what you said on Facebook:

Emma Beckett: “What cracks me up is I was in Asda and saw a mum, dad (I know that because they were called mum and dad by the kids) and three kids. But yet some parents won’t send their kids back to school.

“I would love to do a shop in the day but no way am I unnecessarily taking my baby to a shop to be exposed to this virus.

“I just wait until my partner gets home. I get single parents have no choice but it doesn’t take a mum, dad and three children to go food shopping.”

Stephen Honeyman: “My youngest, nine, has already been affected.

“He doesn’t even want to go in the garden or outside and I found him crying uncontrollably, crying about Covid.

“He won’t be going back this year at all. Take me to court all you like.”

Saralouise Pardoe: “My child isn’t going back. I’ve all ready informed the school.

“No way I’m risking him it would be horrific for them.”

Shani Humphries: “For the sake of a month why don’t they wait until September?

“Are they going to fine parents who choose to not send their children back?”

Vicky Miller: “I’m so anxious right now let alone sending my child back to school in June.

“I would rather get a fine then for my boy to become seriously ill.”

Natalie Wiles: “You don’t have to send them back and you will not be fined.”

Laura Tanner: “My son’s not going back.”

Nikki Scotford: “We’re not sending back either.”

Donna Shakespeare: “My children are not going back unless the government want all the children to have mental health problems carry on!

“Small children don’t understand not being able to cuddle or get to close to friend. They are not gonna understand that .

“Do you really think a child will keep the mask on? It makes me feel warm wearing the mask for a while .

“When any child gets upset for any reason the mask will come off.

“What if a child hurts themself? Teachers are not going to be able to comfort them?”

Sam Wyness: “My son’s not going back, no chance.”

Sarah Hyde: “It’s not the governments sole responsibility to protect the mental health of our children.

“We as parents should be helping them to develop good emotional intelligence to help them through life any way.

“Mental health issues can also arise from a child not being in school.

“We trusted teachers to safeguard our children when the value of R was far higher, with no mitigation steps in place.

“Yet now we have a little knowledge, and have introduced the appropriate measures, all of a sudden we don’t trust them.

“There can be a valuable positive lesson for our children in this surreal scenario.”

Charlotte Wakefield: “Not all parents will have the tools themselves to deal with this sort of thing. Some people are worried and confused and that then filters down into their kids.

“We have to just be sure that before they go back there are those emotional support systems to fall back on.

“I’m very strong willed and would be like ‘oh well get on with it with my son’ but what works for us might not necessarily work for other families, if that makes sense?”

Claire Louise Newbury: “My child’s mental health is suffering at home too and we are doing everything possible for him.

“He has been educated by us what school will be like now and he says he still wants to go back, he’s five and autistic.

“We need to give our children more credit.”