Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on children, young people and families - evidence summary June 2020

Children, young people & families – COVID-19 survey data

NOTE – Most of the COVID-19 surveys are drawn from self-selecting samples (a sample that a participant volunteers to be part of rather than being selected).  This means that the findings are not representative of the wider population and are likely to be biased in some way.  Results of individual studies should therefore be interpreted with caution.  

There is now a considerable volume of surveys on the impact of COVID-19 on the wider public which include households with families, and an increasing volume of parent and child surveys.  This section focuses primarily on parent/child surveys.  

The Scottish Youth Parliament, Youth Link, Young Scot published the findings of their Lockdown Lowdown survey of young people (aged 11-25) last month which ran from 3-17 April.  In May, they published further analysis of the results.  The findings show that:

• Overall, there do not appear to be many significant differences in the views and concerns of young people about the impact of COVID-19 across different demographic groups including geography (urban/rural), SIMD, age, gender and ethnicity.  However, 65% of respondents were female, and over 50% were from SIMD Quintiles 4 & 5 (least deprived).  The results may not therefore be representative of the Scottish population.
• People in the most deprived areas were slightly more concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of others than those in less deprived areas; whilst people in less deprived areas were more concerned about educational outcomes and social relationships than those in the most deprived areas.  
• Younger people (aged 11-15) were more concerned about social relationships than older young people, whilst those aged 16 to 18 year olds were more concerned about educational outcomes and over 18s were more concerned about mental health and wellbeing of others than other age groups.  
• There were no differences in concern between male and female respondents.  
• Respondents who identified as non-binary and those in mixed/multiple ethnic groups were less confident in how to access information.  

The Children's Parliament re-ran its survey in May, when 3,698 children aged 8 to 14 took part. The survey looks at wellbeing across a number of domains including learning and activities; access to information, expressing opinions and experiencing rights; health; and family and friends. Respondents are also asked about their worries and what makes them feel good.  The survey is continuing to run monthly to track trends. Key findings from May were:

• Across all areas there is a small but noticeable decline in the wellbeing of children. This is particularly true for girls, and especially for girls aged 12 to 14.
• When it comes to home learning children are reporting less choice and a declining sense of fun or pride in work and increased levels of boredom. Meanwhile they are increasingly worried about doing school work and learning at home. 
• Most children can access information, express opinions and experience their rights. However there are indications of a decline in these areas (relevant for preparedness for incorporation of the UNCRC).
• Children are indicating a decline in mental wellbeing; fewer generally feel cheerful and in a good mood and they have less energy. Children are increasingly feeling lonely and less sure that in difficult times they will be okay.
• The period of lockdown has shifted the balance of children's lives - not going to school or meeting friends means that family time and relationships become even more central. Most children are safe and happy at home but for those children who are not the experience of lockdown may exacerbate concerns or worries.
• Children are increasingly worried about a number of things. What they worry about is influenced by age and sex, but as time passes they worry more. Most children have someone at home or external to their family to speak to, but a significant number indicate they do not have anyone to confide in.

The Co-SPACE (Oxford University) and its partner studies are a collection of parent surveys in the UK and four other countries, including Denmark, that ask questions about family life and relationships, health and wellbeing, parenting, psychological symptoms and how parents are coping during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Initial findings are published on the Emerging Minds website.  To date they have received over 10,000 responses to their Co-SPACE survey for parents of children aged 4-16 and 1000 responses from young people.  A selection of the most relevant findings is provided below:

From the first report which included data from 30 Mar – 4 April from 1500 parents:

• Nearly 2/3 of parents/carers reported that they were not sufficiently meeting the needs of both work and their child. 
• Nearly 3/4 of children and young people are keeping in contact with friends via video chat and getting more than 30 minutes of exercise per day. 
• The top 3 stressors for parents/carers were (i) work, (ii) their children's wellbeing, and (iii) their family and friends (outside their household). 

From the second report which included data from 30 Mar – 29 April from 5000 parents:

• Parents of children with special educational needs and neurodevelopmental disorders (SEN/ND) report higher levels of stress across all areas. 
• While child behaviour is rarely a stressor for parents of non-SEN/ND children, it was frequently a stressor for parents of children with SEN/ND.
• 80% of those who were previously receiving support from services have had this stopped or postponed during the pandemic.
• Parents particularly want support around their child's emotional wellbeing, education and coming out of social isolation.
• Parents of children with SEN/ND would also like support around managing their child's behaviour.
• Parents/carers would value online written materials and videos, while parents with children with SEN/ND would also like online support from professionals.

From the third report which included data from 12 – 19 May (when new questions were added following the announcement in England about the phased reopening of schools) from approximately 611 parents:

• Around half of parents do not feel comfortable about their children going back to school.  
• Parents of children with SEN/ND are particularly uncomfortable about their children attending school, as are parents who do not work, and those with lower incomes.
• Particular concerns for parents of children with SEN/ND are that their child will not get the emotional, behavioural and educational support that they need, or the support they need with transitions to different groups/classes.
• Parents on lower incomes appear to be particularly concerned about their child being upset by the need to social distance, or catching COVID-19, and being forced to do something that doesn't work for their family.
• Parents/carers of children with SEN/ND or a pre-existing mental health difficulty, in particular, report that their children are not comfortable about attending school (due to things being uncertain or different, changes to routine, the enjoyable parts of school not happening, and being away from home).

The University of Sheffield is running a two-part survey for young people age 13-24 to examine the impact of the pandemic on young people at different stages of development, and identify the factors influencing their mental resilience. The study will examine why some young people are not adhering to physical distancing rules, as well as measuring rates of anxiety and depression.  The findings are based on a UK representative group of 2,000 13-24-year-olds. Early findings from the first survey are:

• Up to half of young people feel significantly more anxious than before the lockdown. The youngest teenagers showed the highest rates of anxiety, while older groups showed lower levels of overall wellbeing.
• Those whose parents are key workers demonstrated significantly higher levels of COVID-19-related anxiety and trauma and worse overall wellbeing.
• Levels of anxiety and depression were up to 10%higher for black and mixed race survey participants than white and Asian groups.
• Over 50% of men aged 19-24 have met with a group of friends during lockdown, and 20% have been reprimanded by police (compared with one in 10 women of the same age)
• Majority of those aged 13-24 are not complying with basic hygiene recommendations such as washing hands more often. 
• Government must explain reasons for ongoing physical distancing to persuade young men to follow rules as lockdown lifts, psychologists recommend.

The University of Southampton is undertaking a study to engage young people about their experiences and concerns under lockdown measures, and to develop solutions that support their wellbeing, mental and physical health. Current focus is on identifying ways to make messaging about the pandemic more relevant for young people. Discussions are being held with local providers about ways in which they might involve young people in volunteering activities during the pandemic and how they might be engaged in purposeful activities that would help them prepare for the future. Some of the early findings are:

• Young people felt it was going to be difficult for them to stay at home during lockdown without being engaged in purposeful activities.
• Year 11 and 13 study participants recorded feeling particularly lost and anxious because their education had been suspended abruptly with their national exams cancelled.
• When asked, participants came up with a number of ways they might keep themselves occupied, including: supporting their local community and its more vulnerable members; access to free mobile data or courses to enable them to learn new skills and work packages to prepare for upcoming A-level or university courses.

The Nuffield Foundation has recently published initial evidence on how children and families in England are spending their time during lockdown, with a focus on home learning.  This is part of a larger study which seeks to explore the links between families' adjustments to the crisis in terms of time-use (e.g. juggling work and home-schooling) and children's well-being. The survey was completed online by over 4,000 parents of children aged 4–15 between 29 April and 12 May 2020.  The data was adjusted to ensure that the results are representative of parents and children in England as a whole. The home learning report indicates "that children from more disadvantaged families are spending less time on home learning; they are making do with fewer resources both from their schools and in their own homes; and the activities they are doing are less likely to benefit their educational attainment".

• Pupils from better-off families are spending longer on home learning; they have access to more individualised resources such as private tutoring or chats with teachers; they have a better home set-up for distance learning; and their parents report feeling more able to support them. 
• Fewer than half of parents say they would send their child back to school if they had the choice. Higher-income parents report being more willing for their child to go back to school. This risks a situation where the children struggling the most to cope with home learning remain at home while their better-off classmates are back in the classroom.

Girl Guiding published its findings of its survey of girls and young women aged 4-18 about their experiences of COVID-19 and lockdown.  The survey was conducted between 1-5 May and received 6,678 responses (97% were girl guiding members).  Some of the key findings are:

• A quarter of girls aged 11-14 (24%) and half of girls aged 15–18 (51%) report that coronavirus and lockdown have had negative impact on their mental health
• There are signs of girls feeling sad from a very young age with a third (33%) of girls aged 4 to 10 saying they feel sad most of the time. A third (34%) of girls aged 11 to 14 say they feel lonely most of the time.
• Of girls aged 15 -18, 45% said they felt stressed and 67% said they felt disconnected and lonely. Nearly half of girls in this age group said social isolation is putting a strain on their relationships at home.  Reasons for stress included uncertainty about school and education and a lack of freedom and independence.
• Older girls are very worried about the future with 70% saying that they are worried about falling behind at school or college.  Most older girls are also very worried about the virus spreading and further lockdowns.
• Nearly all girls aged 11-18 (90%) would like more information about what to expect in the future, including the reopening of schools and 61% of girls aged 11-18 say they would like more information from the Government directly to children and young people.