A "SIGNIFICANT" minority of both pupils and staff will continue to require ongoing support with their mental health and wellbeing in Wee County schools.

Elected members will tomorrow examine how Clackmannanshire Council's Education Psychology Service has developed resources and support activities as children and staff returned to school at the end of summer.

The meeting of the People Committee on Thursday, November 26, will hear that schools in the Wee County will continue to offer their support for those who are enduring trauma during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Council documents to be tabled on the day will also outline findings from a mental health and wellbeing survey of nursery and primary school families in the lead up to schools re-opening.

The papers on recovery planning said: "The initial findings suggested that there was a much higher level of need with respect to children's mental health and wellbeing during the lockdown period as measured by the survey compared to expected norms.

"However, follow-up calls with establishments indicated that the trauma recovery planning recovery work undertaken by staff during lockdown has resulted in the majority of learners returning to schools and nurseries in a more regulated state than expected.

"These calls did also highlight, though, that for a significant minority of both staff and pupils, there are continuing health and wellbeing needs which require ongoing support and monitoring."

A survey of 560 Wee County primary school families ahead of the return found that 60 per cent were anxious about attending school again.

Just over half, 51 per cent, were struggling to be obedient, 23 per cent had temper tantrums and 28 per cent were easily distracted.

Almost a quarter of families found that their children were behaving worse than usual.

The survey also found that 15 per cent of those asked had lost someone close during the pandemic.

However, follow-up calls with schools found that 69 per cent reported that their pupils were "more settled than they were expecting".

The majority, 68 per cent, also reported that their staff returned more settled.

However, a cohort of around 24 per cent found this was not the case.

The meeting comes amid a worsening coronavirus picture in the wider central belt.

Indeed, S5 and S6 pupils at Lornshill Academy last week moved back to remote learning with a review due next Tuesday, December 1, on the advice of Public Health Scotland.

The aforementioned survey is currently being repeated, with a verbal update on some of the findings expected at tomorrow's committee meeting.